Bridget Hart

She said

“You can hear the sea in sea shells –

Here -”

She said

“Put it to your ear and listen to waves smoothing the edges of oceans.”

I said

“It sounds angry, like ice typhoons leading ships into thick turbulence. Where men are thrown awash into Atlantic jaws. Drentched vessels burst, they shit across Poseidon’s hall like cabin bunk driftwood; the cook, blue and bloated.”

She said

“You watch too much TV.”

I said

“TV tells me that the sea will drown us all one day.

Maybe sea shells are prophets.”