First in a 4-part series: Birth

Cries of gulls pierce the air,

The Gulf of Cali has beauty to spare.

The April sun warms the water,

The Sea of Cortes could not be hotter.

Although the sky and land are great,

What’s below the surf is worth the wait.

Plunge in the ocean, go down a few feet.

A submerged birth scene is what you will meet.

There, in the seaweed, floats a mother,

Giving birth to her young calf’s brother:

The tail comes first,

Then out comes the head.

The calf is free,

But sinks like lead;

The mother is nervous.

But all is well,

The calf’s not ill,

Things are swell.

To have healthy kids, some would kill.

The mother tends to her precious boy,

Tiny and cute, he resembles a toy.

The calf takes in the blazing sun,

With no idea of what’s to come….