Medusa

by Tamara Holmes
For Alex

eroded shore splattered with bulbous
belled cyan mounds tentacles rest
on transparent companions forever
medusa anchored in grain

my left side was sunburned
for weeks after Woorim
long-weekend cabin deserted
after a night left
a lens on the table

greyed ocean like bathwater
turned cold after a night
huddled in your kitchen with drained
bottles of wine

I swear they were still
alive when we found
them crushed like your midnight
confession to find yourself
beached but I still searched
for a way to return them to the sea 

Tamara Holmes is a Brisbane based writer and poet. Her work can be found in Westerly and Art Almanac, among others.