A Seal’s Life

lillian

I savor La Jolla’s coast.
Feeding delight near the cove
time to frolic in rushing waves,
flipper scoot on to sand.
I snort my derision
at gawking beings.

But the best, oh the best . . .
sun drenched rocks.
Lying close, just resting.
Crowds be damned.

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Written for day 6, national poetry month. Combines prompts from Toads to write in the voice of another (can be an animal) and the dVerse Monday quadrille word-prompt, “close”. A quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words, sans title. Prompt word muse be used in body of the poem.

Photo taken last month at what is called the Children’s Pool in La Jolla, California. Originally designated as a sheltered sandy beach for children to swim, it has been taken over by seals. Many people walk the coast line to watch the seals there, and on nearby rocks.

70 thoughts on “A Seal’s Life”

  1. kim881 April 6, 2020 / 2:18 pm

    Ah, seals! I love to visit the seals along our coastline. We have several sanctuaries and colonies, the one at Blakeney Point being the largest. I think they must be relieved that the crowds are not bothering them at the moment.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:23 pm

      No seals in Boston…..the seals in and around Provincetown where we go in September have drawn the sharks so they are very endangered there. But here, in LaJolla, they were an absolute delight to see. Sounds like you are lucky to be near them as well.

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  2. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) April 6, 2020 / 3:06 pm

    I love seals the most when I have been kayaking and they are gazing at me… coming up and being curious.. but it’s been a while since I paddled with seals.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:24 pm

      When the weather is nice, that would be something one could do by oneself (social distancing in these days of the pandemic) but at the same time, getting close to other living beings. It think it would be amazing to get that close!

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  3. whimsygizmo April 6, 2020 / 3:08 pm

    LOVE La Jolla, and love the feeling of closeness this brings. Oh, that we might get to that place again.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:26 pm

      SO glad you enjoyed. Yes…..we arrived home (to Boston) just in the nick of time….three days later San Diego and Boston were shuttered. I smile just looking back and this photo. I remember when we looked down on these rocks, at first glance, it just looked like the rock was textured and then with a closer look, we saw it was the seals!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:26 pm

      Very scarce. Only people who live there, and then keeping their distance on the boardwalk.

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  5. Sherry Marr April 6, 2020 / 3:26 pm

    I love this so much – we have seals and sea lions here too. I love them! Seal eyes are so sweet and puppy-like.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:27 pm

      It was wonderful to see them. We don’t have them here in Boston. When we’re in Provincetown (on Cape Cod) in September, we know they are near and they draw the sharks. So seals are not wanted there. Here in La Jolla, it was a joy to watch them!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:28 pm

      Solitude in sunbathing….even when with others of your own species 🙂

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  7. Glenn A. Buttkus April 6, 2020 / 3:43 pm

    A wonderful photo, complimented by a sweet effective quadrille. In 1967, when stationed at NAS Miramar, I used to visit La Jolla often. In those days they worried about great white shark sightings.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:29 pm

      Oh my….that is similar to Provincetown on the Cape….they try to figure out how to discourage the seals as they bring the sharks. In La Jolla, obviously not that problem.

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  8. Susie Clevenger April 6, 2020 / 3:44 pm

    Oh, I love seals…They should snort at humans staring

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  9. Ellecee April 6, 2020 / 3:46 pm

    I love seals, to me they have such sweet faces. Love your words – speaking for them 🙂

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  11. msjadeli April 6, 2020 / 4:19 pm

    They look enviably cozy there on the rock. Great channeling of the sea mammals.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:30 pm

      Oh they were indeed! As opposed to the ones literally frollicking in the waves at the little beach cove nearby.

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  12. Bodhirose April 6, 2020 / 4:52 pm

    I could just feel those warm rocks that they like to bask on. I’ve never seen seals out in the wild but hear that they can take over a lot of beaches, boardwalks and boat docks to do with as they please. Haha! I enjoyed the(ir) viewpoint of their life, Lillian.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:31 pm

      That is exactly what happened in the little beach cove (not shown in the photo). Children and adults no longer go there as it is now just the seals playground. We saw many young pubs flipper scooting up onto the sand to nuzzle with the mamas. Fascinating to watch their behaviors.

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      • Bodhirose April 7, 2020 / 3:45 pm

        I would love to sit and watch their behaviors. We have no seals over here. Animal watching is one of my favorite things to do. Thanks for sharing, Lillian. xoxo

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  13. Gillena Cox April 6, 2020 / 5:17 pm

    Oh how lovely and lucky you to have this experience of watching those seals

    much love…

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:32 pm

      It was an absolutely delightful afternoon…..those were the days (literally only a month ago….when social distancing was not a coined phrase. It sure is now!

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  14. AlohaNow April 6, 2020 / 6:34 pm

    Thank you for giving me this little vacation. I felt so close to these lovely beings.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:33 pm

      Ah….always happy to provide an “arm chair” vacation! 🙂

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:33 pm

      Smiling right back at you, Grace!

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  17. sanaarizvi April 6, 2020 / 7:00 pm

    I love seals! 💝 This is exquisitely drawn, Lillian 😀

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:34 pm

      Thank you, Sanaa….so glad you enjoyed. We had so much fun that day watching all the seals’ behaviors. Especially the young pups who would flipper scoot up on to the sand and nuzzle by their mamas!

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  18. Truedessa April 6, 2020 / 7:08 pm

    I saw some seals a couple of summer ago up close. There were magnificent. I love the photo and you poem.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:35 pm

      So glad you enjoyed! I turned out to be a good photo….I love their utter relaxation with the daisies enjoying the sun too!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:35 pm

      Thank you, Rosemary. I had fun with this prompt! 😉

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  20. D. Avery @shiftnshake April 6, 2020 / 7:59 pm

    They look so comfy. No distancing there.
    I at least enjoyed a sun drenched rock today.
    I enjoyed the poem and the accompanying photo.

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  22. oldegg April 6, 2020 / 9:39 pm

    I think I should go and find the Seal and Sea Lions on our coasts; they are always a delght to see only about a 90 minute trip from home.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:38 pm

      OOOOh…..we are now back in Boston where we live. We so enjoyed taking the commuter bus out to La Jolla from our Jan through early March apartment rental in San Diego. How I would love to have a place like this near us….they were delightful to watch…especially the little pubs flipper scooting up on to the sandy beach (not pictured in photo) to nuzzle near their mamas. I’d be making that drive once a month! 🙂

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  24. kanzensakura April 6, 2020 / 10:13 pm

    I love seals and the way they can relax so thoroughly. a wonderful quad Lillian!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:39 pm

      Thank you, Toni! I hope you are handling all of this world’s challenges now….enforced solitude..I hope your garden is blooming and providing you with comfort and solace.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:40 pm

      I did take the photo! I was trying to get the daisies “sunning” in the same frame as the seals sunning! And it worked! Glad you like it!

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  26. Pratibha April 7, 2020 / 1:35 am

    I want to be on that rock sunbathing right now ! What a adorable poem 🙂

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:41 pm

      Me too! Here in Boston, we’ve had yesterday and today reaching to 60 — just giving us a wee bit taste of spring on its way.

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      • Pratibha April 8, 2020 / 10:22 pm

        It feels like such a waste of good weather when you can not roam outside with friends !

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  27. sarahsouthwest April 7, 2020 / 2:30 am

    Those seals look lovely, so sprawled and sunned. Your poem captures them so well. I’m a bit jealous.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:42 pm

      Oh me too, Sarah! I saw the daisies sunning themselves and rocks on the shore and then looked closer, and saw it wasn’t just a texture on the rock….looking more closely, I saw all the seals! So fun!

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  28. peterfrankiswrites April 7, 2020 / 2:48 am

    Fantastic fun – ah to be a seal, with fish for dinner every night. And reading your explanation of the photo – a little sad too.

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:42 pm

      Being a seal for a day…..a fun thing if one can stay away from the sharks….which is definitely the case in La Jolla! 🙂

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  29. L. Stevens April 7, 2020 / 10:57 am

    Looks like a lovely place to visit, you captured its visitors well!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:43 pm

      We had a wonderful day in La Jolla and spent hours watching the seal behaviors here and in the sandy beach cove.

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  30. whippetwisdom April 7, 2020 / 11:03 am

    Aww I love the seals Lillian, what a beautiful image and poem to lift our spirits. I especially love ‘But the best, oh the best . . . sun drenched rocks. Lying close, just resting’
    Hope you and yours are all safe and well xxx

    Liked by 1 person

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:45 pm

      It does not seem possible that we just came home from San Diego on March 11 and three days later, it seemed the world shut down! Stay safe….we are hunkered down, taking a daily walk on a path not traveled by many, wearing masks when we’re in the “common areas” of our 17 story high rise in Boston….George only walks to the grocery story once a week. It is a surreal world right now. To think we were watching these sunbathing creatures less than a month ago!

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    • lillian April 7, 2020 / 1:46 pm

      Thank you! My aim was to get the daisies sunning themselves in the same photo frame as the seals sunning themselves…..and it worked! 🙂

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  32. Kerry April 8, 2020 / 6:09 am

    This is a lovely capture of the relaxed nature of seals.

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  33. Frank J. Tassone April 13, 2020 / 4:08 pm

    Love the voice of the seals in this one! Your photo reminds me of the sea lions we saw in San Franscisco!

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