And as I walked on Bondi's burnished sands
the Australian sun beating at my brow
my tender skin stepped upon a beating heart
blue-veined transparency
tendrils reaching for the unreachable sea
rounded body gelatinous and vulnerable
'Blue Bottle'
stranded pulsating jellyfish
lost and alienated from its shoal
when, in her fear
she whipped and stung and clung
numbing me into submission
but for a moment
then shivering as her strength depleted with the ebbing tide
her frightened eyes begged forgiveness
as I scratched and fumbled at the reddening wound
I left her lying there
then, turning back with towelled hands
I bent over her
clasped her greasy roundness
so small against my shadow
and within a wind's breath
my jellyfish tasted salty waters
while the white horses claimed their prodigal mermaid
as she vanished into their unfathomable watery stables
and I began to limp homeward on burnished sands

Bondi Beach,1986

Penny Hemans

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/blue-bottle-stranded-on-bondi-beach/