The Sea Sponge

Rachel Raddock

In calmer waters, I exist in solitude.
It’s easier to fight alone in the deep.
I forge my own connections, bridge an isthmus across ostia
Here, my tubes branch like bells on a string.
I bend, but do not break.

If my pores were on skin, would you listen?
I am far older than you. We are apart in nothing more than time.
I have no lungs, but do I not breathe?
I have no heart, but don’t I have chambers?
My house is a home for many to nurture and feed.
I even had a mother, once.

I will persist far beyond you.
A crashing internal wave draws in, seeks to uproot, uplift, change.
Sessile, with no flight or fight to give
I fear when your vortex will drag me away.
If Pacific means peaceful, 
then why do I tremor?

The Science

Sea sponges are incredibly old, simple organisms that lack brains or sensory cells yet still maintain the ability to respond to their surroundings. From the perspective of a Pacific sea sponge, this poem describes a shaking motion organisms like sponges and corals utilize to distribute the energy caused by waves within the ocean (known as internal waves) so they are not damaged. When observing this on a dive, the motion to me seemed almost like a frightened shiver. With this poem, I wanted to explore the feeling of being stuck in place in the face of a rapidly changing ocean environment.

The Poet

Rachel Raddock is completing her Master’s in Marine Biology. She enjoys translating her love for the environment into music and writing. She currently lives in Boston, MA.

Next poem: The Vivarium by Jeremy Gadd