Glass snails
i.
Soon we will all learn to live with less
whorls, shell, house, car.
This might have occurred over
generations, a slow transition
natural selection, natural replacement
homo erectus to homo sapiens
homo sapiens to intelligentia artificialis
strepsodiscus to oxychilidae.
Given the situation we find
ourselves in, it’s faster
a problem we can’t solve, only mitigate.
retraction, reduction, inequities
trying to slow the pace, leaving
the slightest silver trail.
ii.
The mollusc is a calcium barometer.
Holds the weight of our world
in pockets, glorious colours flashing
over a transparent body.
Palm fronds, leaf litter, fungi, easy
to crush, eyes on the future.
We didn’t know, didn’t see
what was happening
tragedy of the horizon, perhaps
we can bring them back
frankensnails, shells glued
kintsugi-style.
What mad doctor will bring us back?
Nothing, no-thing, creature or stone
exists in isolation. The link that makes
the difference is not so easy to spot.

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