World's tallest kelp
grows to 200 metres -
moored just off the Californian coast.
      Taller than all its onshore,
      air-breathing,
                     cousin redwoods.

Each plant slow-marches on the spot:
upright as shocked hair.
      Each copse tight-reined.
      Tides jockey through it.

Hectare upon hectare:
                        like great wavering,
brown, drowned library-stacks of words -
woven from all languages-&-tongues of the world's lovers.

All written / spoken forms:
pillow-talk, postcard, assignation note ...

              email, ghazal & madrigal ...
       rock lyric, ballad,
                         sonnet, ode ...

The kelp stands listening,
absorbing all of this unto itself -
in its still, anchored,
ululating herd.

Awaits its critical mass -
till the expression is perfect,
and love's, finally, got the right words ...

       At which, each plant,
       detaching its root-foot,
       will effortlessly rise
                     to headbutt the sunlit surface:

       And all will be uttered
       to the Impatient World.

Published in The Impatient World (Five Islands Press, 2002).