A basket of crabs lately brought to shore
Lay in the still afternoon on the quay
Some bewildered sought escape
Clambering above the searching claws
The seemingly insensate carapace of others
All however would be boiled
Their water sometimes mercifully slow
Inducing calm then apathy then sleep
Their metaphor too obviously missed
While sun-hat tourists scan the daily news
Bernard Saint
Illustration: Claire Palmer
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