Tumblewick

🌀 ZigZag Sparks

Barnacle Luggage

Purple Sand

Nobody had ever seen a

Tumblewick arrive.

Yesterday it wasn't there.

Today it was.

Tumblewick sat on a piece

of driftwood at the edge

of the beach.

The driftwood wore seaweed

like a scarf at an opera.

Three barnacles on board had

packed matching sun hats in

tiny suitcases.

One was leaking.

The other creatures came

by wearing their best

question marks.

"Where did you come from?"

Tumblewick watched a wave

forget where it parked.

"That way."

"How far?"

Tumblewick shrugged.

A seagull dropped in with a

sardine tucked behind one ear.

"We've met."

Tumblewick winked at the seagull

like they had matching sneakers.

Wedged into the driftwood was a

crab and a postage stamp wearing

a tiny raincoat.

There was purple sand

in one of the butt cracks.

And a sand dollar

with some teeth missing.

Nobody asked about

the teeth missing.

Someone found a tiny map

wrapped in a seaweed bowtie.

It showed a river, two mountains,

and a small island shaped

like a watermelon sandwich.

Unfortunately, none of them

appeared to exist.

A pelican wandered over

wearing seaweed suspenders.

"Ah. Tumblewick."

"You know Tumblewick?"

"We had lunch once."

"Where?"

The pelican thought while

raising a knee in tree pose.

"Possibly Tuesday."

The ocean apparently knew.

The next morning, the

driftwood was gone like a

jellyfish that heard its name

called.

So was Tumblewick.

The sand dollar remained.

Still missing some teeth.

Tomorrow was apparently

none of their business.

The moon smiled upside down.

The earth whispered, "Wheee."

And there are popsicles on

Thursdays.

Somewhere drifts

Pack lightly

— Spunky Mind

See you on the trail...

in the magical world of

ZigZag Creature

Field Guides

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