Animals: "Crustaceans" by Rena Su

Crustaceans

Ten legs crawl to the cadence of my vague discomfort 
Shifting the sand and forging their own hourglasses
I never liked crabs, those that stroll the beach armoured 
By a skeleton of dollhouse orange, eyes twin voids

Mother Nature, why do you love the crabs? Why do you 
Sew together crab-form again and again? You churn
The skin and bone and reverse them. You sing an ode to 
The teeth on palms. Oh allow me to plant the crabs in sand 
Each of those sideways steps and let me walk along all 
High and mighty with forward strides.

There is only less fear when I see you in the midst of 
Midnight illumination; in clear panes of acrylic
And tap-dancing to the loneliness of the supermarket 
Hostage in a rubber band and

        it is only then that I feel in control.

About Rena Su

Rena Su is a writer from Vancouver, Canada whose work has been recognized by Simon Fraser University, the City of Surrey, and the Pulitzer Center. Her debut chapbook, Preparing Dinosaurs for Mass Extinction (ZED Press) will be released in summer 2021. You can find her on Twitter @RenaSuWrites