Mysterious reptile as old as time

What secrets he hides in his shell

Only he can tell,

Of  tales  he has seen

In his trails under the sea.

Nestled in his abode,

He confides in himself alone.

For the years spent on this earth,

Has made him wise

To keep stories untold.

Forward he goes.

Paddling slow,

Taking pleasure in his travel

On land and sea.

Make no complaint of his pace,

As he knows life is an endless marathon race.

Peers out to face the world

To hear the calls of mother earth

Stirring his primal senses.

Then returns to his shield

His only defenses .

Vulnerable to human atrocities,

He struggles to survive.

Lumbering in despair,

To the brink of extinction.