by Chelle Royal
The sounds of the ocean
rush through the
opening of a seashell,
capturing the memories
of a seaside village
within its soul.
Infinite sunsets witnessed,
lives reincarnated,
countless Atlantic baptisms,
sandcastle turrets,
precious keepsake of a
summer spent in the sand.
A shell blasts from
the barrel of a
shotgun, sending
scattered projectiles
into a far-off target
marked for a headshot.
One shot,
one kill,
one purpose,
one object
forced to do
the bidding of another.
Stubble-lined lips
delicately brushing
against the tender
outer cartilage of a
diamond-studded ear.
The swirling soft shell
of the inner-ear accepting
sweet nothings whispered
in tones that would make
a Harlequin character blush.
Goosebumps dance across
pebble-risen flesh.
Every year in October
pecans are plucked
from the dirt of the earth.
They are busted
from their shells
ready to accept their fate
as integral components
of the perfect pie.
Grandma’s secret recipe
embraces eager taste buds
burning and yearning
for a sample of the past.
A girl’s heart is broken
by a boy who never
deserved to know her name,
but still she lives
as a shell of
her former self,
forever trapped in
a body she wishes
she could leave on
the side of the road
alongside last week’s
leftovers and garbage.
Words mean more than
their black and white
interpretations found in
a yellowing dictionary.
What is perceived as
ordinary and mundane
is truly where the
magic of meaning happens.
Words are simply shells
that transport objects
from pointless existences
to most prized possessions.
Category: Poetry, SNHU Creative Writing, SNHU online creative writing, SNHU Student