She picked it up from the seashore. <br />He encouraged her, <br />Flattered her with indulgence <br />To bring back her dying flame. <br />A girl once again, <br />She brought it home <br />In whimsically ebullient innocence! <br />On the polished floor <br />In a faraway city <br />It found it hard to walk <br />With the load of mollusk <br />And made a funny sight! <br />It strained its ears <br />But there was no sound of the sea, <br />No saline smell in the air, <br />Instead the water was sweet and insipid. <br />It went thirsty. <br />The food was alien, <br />It went hungry. <br />Soon they polished the shell <br />And celebrated addition of <br />Another showpiece in their room! <br />The crab had at last <br />Found a new home.<br /><br />Pradip Chattopadhyay<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hermit-crab/
