Giant whale
Lying on the beach
What have you come to show us?

For years you quietly graced
This blue planet
And now
You spend your final hours
Exposed to the world
Naked
Helpless
Dying

Far from the familiarity
Of the deep
Separate from the safety
Of your pod
What courage you have
Great whale
In delivering your message
For all to see

Sharing your final suffering
Motionless
Dignified
Giant and sad

Great whale
Great whale

People have learned
To fly away
To distant planets
To drill great holes
Beneath the earth
To join the elements
And build mighty towers

But for all we have done,
We cannot return you to safety
We cannot do a thing to save you

All we can do is watch
Dumbstruck by your presence
Hoping for the tides to restore you

In vain
In vain

Great whale
I wish that I could talk to you
Understand your secrets
Hear your wisdom

But no words of comfort
Do you speak
Great Whale
No words

Your quiet message
Your being
Here
Grips our silence