Underwater Birthday Party

In a town by a sea of great affinity,
people live to begin;
pull out all stops
in the name of origin.

Here, a boy almost seven,
his guests poised to plunge
on three. Once submerged
the party unfurls: limbs lick blue,
strokes feathery with memory;
cheers catch, bubble,
laughter mute on faces.

And the gifts! Parents and kids
proffer pearlescence,
glossy peach shards
and whole shells left vacant.
Cake time isn’t actual
but a call to feast eyes
on quicksilver shimmer,
school of fish piped rainbow.

Always, they begin to forget,
swear a thin armor
has formed over elbows,
neglect the humanness of toes.
Always too, one will remember,
alert the others.
See our birthday boy’s mother
lured by coral arms.
Laced in longing,
plea of the euphotic,
they blaze for the ages:
Go up! Explode in light!