© LJR 2026
JELLYFISH, JELLYFISH
Jellyfish, jellyfish
Zooplankton balloon of H-Two-Oh
More ancient than the dinosaurs
You drift and pulse, carried by currents
Body a balanced, gelatinous bell
While below hang swaying tentacles
Your dimensions range from minuscule
To something the size of a school bus
Rainbow hued, white, or nearly see-through
Perhaps lit with bioluminescence
Inside there is not a single bone
Or a brain, or eyes, or even teeth
But a nerve-net keeps you in the know
And stinging gets the food job done
Yes, you’re a dancing beauty in the sea
But if tides or storms wash you ashore
I’m sad to say you are destined to
Become a dried out blob upon the sand
*****
