The world below the brine,
Forests at the bottom of the sea, the branches and leaves,
Sea-lettuce, vast lichens, strange flowers and seeds, the thick tangle openings, and pink turf,
Different colors, pale gray and green, purple, white, and gold, the play of light through the water,
Dumb swimmers there among the rocks, coral, gluten, grass, rushes, and the aliment of the swimmers,
Sluggish existences grazing there suspended, or slowly crawling close to the bottom,
The sperm-whale at the surface blowing air and spray, or disporting with his flukes,
The leaden-eyed shark, the walrus, the turtle, the hairy sea-leopard, and the sting-ray,
Passions there, wars, pursuits, tribes, sight in those ocean-depths, breathing that thick-breathing air, as so many do,
The change thence to the sight here, and to the subtle air breathed by beings like us who walk this sphere,
The change onward from ours to that of beings who walk other spheres.
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Craig is temporarily a post-doctoral fellow at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who is looking for a permanent position. He spends most of his time balancing his overwhelming geekdom with normalcy so he can function in the real world. Luckily his wife likes his geekiness.
Peter Etnoyer is a Graduate Research Associate at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He studies deep corals and ocean fronts, and he loves to be on the water.
Kevin Zelnio is a Graduate Student Researcher at Penn State studying the ecology of hydrothermal vent and methane seep communities. He raises awareness of the plight of the spineless through folk music.
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« Even More Enjoying the Ocean | Main | Every Kid Needs an Octopus on their Wall »
The World Below the Brine By Walt Whitman
Category: Books/Media
Posted on: April 14, 2008 9:23 AM, by CR McClain
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Comments
I must say that I am very fond of the Whitman. Craig, before you leave monterey, you MUST visit Tor House in Carmel, the home of Robinson Jeffers.
http://www.torhouse.org/
Posted by: kevin z | April 14, 2008 12:39 PM
This is what I love about this blog!
This post is the definition of classy and erudite.
Then two posts later we have octopus STD jokes.
Keep me guessing guys... keep me guessing.
Posted by: Jives | April 15, 2008 7:30 AM