Jellyfish

Like pulsing poufs of gossamer,
They float beneath the sea,
With tentacles a'trailing -
Could such creatures really be?

From minuscule to eight feet long,
They glide and luminesce.
How long they live and how they die
Is anybody's guess.

They have no brains or hearts, and yet
They're graceful, smooth and cool;
But with their stinging tentacles,
Their prey would call them cruel.

Today at the aquarium,
I watched them blob and drift,
A mesmerizing spectacle,
Which felt just like a gift.

I'll never get below the waves
To see them out of tanks,
So Monterey's Aquarium
Deserves my deepest thanks.