Surfacing

Her heart is a bivalve
that sits upon the
ragged ocean floor,
gazing at the salty life
that swims by
in silence.

Her stained shell,
covered in barnacles,
always remains
half-opened
or half-closed,
depending upon
her mood.

On those rare occasions
when she surfaces,
she avoids the toes
that sift through sand
and the watchful eyes
of feckless children
who would destroy her
just to add her shell
to their collection
of lifeless trinkets.