Octopus

octopus how can you claim lonesomeness
when everything about you says:"plural"?
the ocean's only punctuation*
your body is commas, krill and question marks
who can suffer the crazy letters of jellyfish
or the wild italics of the sharks?
when we ask for answers
you say: "no way sir, that's a bit out of reach"
and then you swim away
and we, alas, turn our heads to the sky
and remain, maybe forever, on the beach

*with the exception of coral