Atlantic Seal

Blackness of his nostrils;
blacker than Atlantic quenched fur.

Whiskers dominate brow and snout
as he snorts and twirls
and sends a sidelong glance
into my frozen pupils.

Deep within our skins
we share the same Celcius

As swiftly as he surfaced
he dived to reappear
in an arc of salty spray
behind me

I float one metre further into your world,
You circle my advances, display your way with waves.

Younger than me
yet more sea worldly,
you echo
ancestry.

Taking the lead, you submerge, spin away, far away
to leave me dancing with hypothermia, making for the shore.