The Revealing Existence Of Oysters Poem by Kimberly Burnham

What I know of oysters could fit between the toes of my flip flops
on an internship in 1977 at an oyster farm in Hawaii
I learned oysters are a culinary delicacy I don't favor
no, stronger than that, I find them disgusting
but other people with different palets, cultures and histories
love to eat them raw, steamed, grilled, fried, or in chowder like clams

What I know about oysters could fit inside my wedding ring on my finger just six years
my marriage must last another 24 before I reach the pearl anniversary
I will be 90 the age of my mother and hope to visit Japan again
buy pearls for my wife long before we have been married 30 years

What I know of oysters could fit in the shape of my fingernails
as I produce a red welt on my arm scratching a mosquito bite
I think of oysters producing pearls in response to irritation
the more they are bothered by a grain of sand the bigger the pearl gets
some creatures produce beauty in response to pain

What I know of oysters could fit in the handle of a pearl divers knife
in Japan divers hold their breath for longer than I can imagine
many meters below the surface to return with an oyster cut from the sea
these daringly harvested oysters sold to tourists for a chance, a lick of luck
one can't tell whether there is or the size of the pearl in an oyster from the outside
only vulnerability and a peek inside will tell you what you want to know

What I know of pearls could fit in a small jewelry box
a gift from a friend in Japan inlaid with mother of pearl
a name that makes me think of a pearl family with two mothers and lots of baby pearls
and I wonder at the exquisiteness of nature
lining the hard oyster shell protecting soft tissues with iridescence
a result of light interacting with layers of aragonite crystals
in shades of cream, silver, pink, even blue or green

What I know of oysters could fit inside my guitar
the inlays of mother of pearl along the neck is strong and resilient
despite a thin and delicate appearance is believed to ward off evil spirits

What I know about oysters could fit inside my jean's pocket
with my wallet, writing notes, and sometimes garden gloves
oysters are trans ―born male
they produce three billion sperm a year for two or three years
then permanently change to female and produce half a billion eggs a year
changing in response to the environment, the temperature,
and the needs of the oyster bed
perhaps with an internal desire I can never fathom

What I know of oysters could fit in a glass of water
I learned they are filter feeders on the west coast where I spent a month
studying marine biology at the University of Washington marine labs
oysters actively filter small particles from the water to feed themselves
filtering up to 50 gallons of water a day improving their environment
they are also sensitive to the destructive tendencies of others,
environmental changes and pollution
oyster health and growth serve as indicators of water quality in their habitats

What I know of oysters could fit in a shoe, as odd as the line from Lewis Carroll,
'but four young Oysters hurried up... Their shoes were clean and neat —
and this was odd, because, you know, They hadn't any feet.'
a fascination with oysters, Carroll sends Alice in Wonderland to sea
encountering singing oysters on the beach
and Tweedledee and Tweedledum recite a poem
how the Walrus and the Carpenter tricked young oysters into joining them for a walk,
only to eat them in the end

What I know of oysters could fit on a map in my phone
oysters are adaptable, flexible, open to change
found in oceans around the world, from temperate to tropical waters
different species fit into various habitats from intertidal zones to deeper waters
the thought of oysters everywhere brings a smile to my face

But all of this knowledge does not make me want to eat oysters
or consider them an aphrodisiac
they are a taste I have not acquired and that is okay
because I appreciate the beauty they bring to the world
and am happy to see them when I go scuba diving or to the beach
because I know their very existence tells me something about the environment
together we live in