Espanola, island in the Galapagos archipelago

Where Gaias’s forces meet

Sun wind gravity spin sea currents

Hard black basalt where long Pacific rollers

Boom into powerful white fountains.

Lava rain seeds eggs

Land and sea changes to malleable lives

Handsome black and white masked boobies

Guard their eggs and chicks on high cliffs—

A frenzied flock of noddy terns

Fold their wings and plunge from sky to sea

Like daggers.

Indolent marine iguanas glitter like obsidian

Spear points, wear Caliban’s spiky armor

Cling to rocks with their long  lance like toes

Swim with dragonish candor—

A curious miraculous menagerie.