When The Ocean Becomes Angry

Dressed in a garment of seaweed, little fishes, and
          riptides,
The Ocean pounded out its steps on the wet sand
Hoping to wash the shore away, collecting it back
Into Her watery possession from where it had come.

Angrily She thundered ashore again and again
Broken nail edges like jagged pieces of shells
          scraping the soggy earth
Leaving deep gashes stretching painfully across
          the sand
Trying to eradicate this objectionable place.

Deafening blows resounded like the hollow
          hulls they hit
Boat collided with boat, collapsing hulls in a
          sea of metallic grimaces.
The Ocean’s maw twitched upward from one side
Displaying a half smile She allowed herself in her
          satisfaction.

So...they would allow offshore drilling to pollute Her
          domain with their
Spills and materials dumped carelessly or accidentally
          over the side?
But they would protect their precious boats and water
          sports,
Beaches and scenic shorelines from the oil industry?

Then She would destroy all that they would preserve
So that they would regret their actions and reject the
          oil business entirely.
She would somehow make Herself understood to
          this place, this people
And rejoice when the platforms and boats that served
          them were gone.

The Ocean crossed her watery, seaweed covered
          arms as She
Surveyed Her work in a quiet study of the place where
          the shore had been.
She retreated noisily from this battle ground, smiling
          that half smile of Hers,
Clothing Herself in bits and hunks of boats, wooden
          docks and all manner of construction remnants.

Within a week the oil platforms were being torn down
          and removed
It was said the unpredictable winds and waves
          threatened the rigs and their workers.
But we know Whose tantrum caused the upheaval,
          don't we?
And Who smiles with both sides of Her maw as She
          gently caresses the shoreline with Her softest of
          wavelets and fishes.