Camouflage of weed,
For the gull, a tell-tale sign.
Flex loose the mussel.
Hold, rise, let fall ... Repeating
'Til shell cracks. Prizing open.
More:
This Tanka was prompted by watching gulls pecking at mussels on a tide-out shore at Cultra beach. The crafty gulls work the mussels free from the rocks then gripping them fly up a few metres and drop them onto hard surfaces below. They do this a few times until the shell gives way and they descend to feed upon the flesh. How have they learned to do this? Instinct? Certainly persistent.
Interesting piece from BBC Maestro explaining the Japanese Tanka verse form here.
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