Carry on, ye’ darkest depths;
Poseidons’ realm doth hith’r,
Why, Davy Jones locker accepts,
The intrepid; wane to with’r.
For none wallow in the bed of seas—
For some swallow at the shake of ease—
But cower not, the lobster lot
Who dare to stare an air of displease
Armor blanket of blood does bear
That refuge rivet a being of fare
Why yield such an accord?
That seldom hold and much adored
Yet asphyxiated by its rigid shell,
By barring wax and well,
And stress to grow exceeds that to guard;
Be or am? Scarr’d or shard?
Thus Ecdysis reveals;
An exoskeleton.
Which commonly conceals;
A callow gelatin
And divorced treads the molten sheds
How vulnerable this anthropod leaves,
His self open to predators and thieves.
Yet surely shows a surly mode,
Far outdoes any another.
And in the midst of time,
This lobster nears nor bear.
To unveil a shell sublime,
Omitted of use or wear.
What is it to be, if be is still,
Drown ye’ heart and flame the will,
So shed! And divorce thy shield;
And down the dread that fled to yield.
Forget ye’ stead;
For growth lay ahead.
Until the abutting led,
To a new—and plastic—lobster.
“Nephropidae”, rich in nautical and mythological imagery, uses the metaphor of a lobster shedding its exoskeleton (ecdysis) to explore themes of vulnerability, growth, and transformation. It delves into the tension between self-protection and the courage to embrace change, even at the risk of exposure to harm. Through the lobster’s journey, the poem reflects on the universal human experience of breaking free from limiting barriers to evolve into something greater. Its central message encourages readers to shed their fears, embrace their fragility, and move boldly toward renewal and growth, despite the uncertainties that lie ahead.
