By Dorian Mackle Bayley
Cancer 𖤓 | Libra ⏾ | Virgo ↑
i call the ocean
on a conch
who tells me i spit
the rising tide
who tells me, to know
how a whale tastes,
she once
swallowed the moon.
i put on stars
to introduce
my fingers to the rock pool crabs
and there she is —
tossing night across
her scapula,
biting epidermis cliffs,
teaching pāua
to be
cupped hands.
on earthquake stones
she inhales the climb,
tangling boats
in her windblown hair.
she polishes
seal bones and songs;
new waiata¹
to fill the shells.
¹waiata is te reo Māori for “song”
Dorian Mackle Bayley (he/they) is a 20 year old from Aotearoa New Zealand. He studies English and Anthropology and loves both dearly. His publishing history is under the deadname Pieta.
A Curious Moon 