Abalone Stars

My toes dig sand canyons,
 Along these saddled walls runs time

It shatters.  Hollow husks litter this desert planet,
 Broken shells neighbor rusty claws and kiss

Thistled leaves rip and tear
Tainted skin dry and cracked

Seagulls fly boundless,
 Waging wars for scrap

Salted waves scrape every coastline,
 Soak every grain, drown us

Walk both directions and see,
Ships vanish beneath unseen waters

Now her crests reflect mandarin,
 attracting eyes and still frames

I greet a gem studded canvas
 As dust settles from abalone stars.