The pebble,
that shrugged off the shoulders
of a grandfather stone
with
his
bent and battered
skin
head first,
the pebble
who paddled
the iciest waters
and
spat out
of the lips
of a crooked-eyed serpent,
the pebble
who felt
more tears
from the sky
than the mouth
of a timeworn
river,
the pebble
who shrank
with each
slap
from the wind's
breath,
the pebble
who slept
with one weathered
eye
always open
dreaming
of becoming
a dazzling jewel
amongst
the stars,
the pebble
who stuck
to the sweat
of squirming toes
who was cradled
by
tiny fingers
who flung
his body to sea
to sink
to the bottom.