Amidst the ocean depths, far below the light,
A lone whale glides by in her watery flight.
A cry so lonely, a wailing of despair,
Something precious lost in the great somewhere.

Serene, yet watchful, moving always in fear
Of death's stillness, she searches ever near.
Pulling sunlight upward with care,
She caresses the surface and mists the salty air.

Nothing! Not a movement, except a hulking mass,
A predator's scent, a watchful, sweeping pass.
Dangerously taunting, the sight draws her near
As battered nets pull in Death and despair.

Her baby! Her angel! Death had claimed its song,
While a quiet stillness seemed to linger on.
Across the endless ocean, far below the sky,
A mournful mother sang a haunting lullaby.

 ©2004 Cheryl Kaye Tardif