Buried Treasure

A pearly cluster of

tiny jewels,

part buried,

unhurried,

waiting

for your armour

to form.

Be cautious tiny spirals,

your eyes on stalks.

Stay in the low light

and be nervous of the night.

Listen for the ripple of rats

who may see your silver trail

and lick their lips.

Stay safe in the leaf litter

little ones,

small saviours of our ecosystems.

Your ancestors shared their world

with dinosaurs.

Please show us how to share.

Pat Simmons

• Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #20

Pat says: I’m fascinated by snails and sad to discover that more species of snail have become extinct in recent years than any other animal.