At the mudflat’s margin of murky blue
the hyacinth moves up with the waves
and with the waves descends.
Decent is not without travail.
A coconut frond comes floating with the tide.
Descent and drift. The coconut frond
hits the hyacinth girl in the side.
Though bit in the side she finds no rest.
In a moment a wave has smothered her.
She goes under and does not rise.
Then a wave surges and the hyacinth girl
comes up about a yard away.
Coming up does not bring respite.
Ducks emerge from a branch of the creek.
A hundrred ducks and a lone hyacinth.
She is jostled and kicked but
holds her lips tight
and keeps wearing her flower.
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