Maria

Tonight having heard the sad news
I recall
The Southern Resident Orca
And what did.befall
When she lost her baby
In the Salish Sea
So precious
Her anguish was going to be

A mother a bearer a nurturer who
In her waking nightmare
What she wanted to do
The finality absolute
And all of her grief
The mother TAHLEQUAH
Held The belief
The most loving of mothers
She decided that she
Would carry her infant
Through the salt see

For 1000 miles
She held him and he
Clung to her wrapped
In her intimacy
Relieved he was with her
For That was her role
To be rueful and gentle
To her dear little soul

17 days
Such wonderment she
Shared the real silence
Her dear prodigy
An enchanting journey
Of wonders galore
breathtakingly beautiful
Of that I am sure

Dear Maria a lost child
The suddenness saddens
The closeness was mutual
As such though still gladdens
A mothers heart knowing that he
Is sleeping at rest in his tranquility

He brought bounteous joy
To those that he met
Soft hearted and tender
There must be regret
But a mothers love
And Such tender accord
To have had such a mother
Was Emilian’s reward

Dearest Maria your tears
All will share
Like the beautiful whale
Who was also Aware
Clutching her baby
For all he was worth
But how pleased was he
It was you that gave birth

To a wonderful son
To a darling sweet boy
Who has gone on his journey
His ultimate joy
Was the time that he spent
With his mother for she
Mean’t the whole world
To him

And through infinity
He will always be remembered