in your ancient sea were the same sands of time
formed the same cloudy depths that made the fog of toil

took a singular speck born through its own torturous seconds
wandered through your young open mind
turned to an itch you couldn't scratch
without splitting in half to bleed out into the defiant noise

now you are old and as ancient
but anew through the waves
they who dove deep to find treasure
will find your defiant shell
glowing iridescent like the moon in a dust storm
and within a secret suffering
to be marveled as beautiful

from a speck bore your glow
into the time and into the sea
only what remains
to shine
to grow