Ode to a Box Turtle^*1

Patience! The only satisfaction it has ever known. Painfully unhurried o'er hummock, log, and stone. Few victories to celebrate, no sins to atone.

Encasement! Ever present, both burden and abode. Hobbled by the weight of it, progress ever slowed, Down forest byways, dreaming life without a load.

Relict! O'er eons, symbol of persistence..silence..peace. Such wellsprings of contentment, much more than fad..caprice. These honors come from slowness, will wonders never cease?

Editorial Introduction. — This section is devoted to poetry involving turtles, representing either reprinted previously published or new unpublished material. We encourage our readers to submit poetry or songs for consideration, either their own material or work by other authors. Poems may be submitted to Anders G.J. Rhodin, Chelonian Research Foundation, E-mail: RhodinCRF@aol.com.

Our desire is to share with our readers the beauty and wonder of turtles as expressed through the art of the poem or song. In the sense that the relationship between man and turtles is multifaceted, so too is turtle poetry. The poems we publish here will reflect that complexity, from poems of pure admiration for the creatures themselves to others reflecting the utilization of turtles and their products. Some poems will reflect man's use of the turtle for sustenance, others will stress man's need to preserve and protect turtles. Some will deal with our emotional interactions with turtles, others will treat turtles light-heartedly or with seeming disrespect, but all will hopefully help us to better understand both the human and the chelonian condition, and remind us that the turtle holds a sacred place in all our hearts.

Editorial Comment. — Brian J. Armitage, Ph.D., is a taxonomic entomologist who grew up, studied, and worked for many years in Ohio, but now works in Panama. He has also been a publisher for 40 years and was Executive Director and Managing Editor for the Ohio Biological Survey, in addition to running his own publishing company, The Caddis Press.

When I asked him about his inspiration for this poem, he answered, “often I tire (or rather my mind and eyes tire) of editing and doing design and layout of the books I do. At that point, I write whimsical things as a mental release, this poem being one of them. The poems and short stories were used to fill in the empty space at the end of chapters or sections. Thus, this poem was simply something that came out of my head whilst resting from publishing duties. My method in all things composed is to simply think about it for a while, and then write it down. That's true of my master's thesis, my doctoral dissertation, my professional manuscripts, and this poem...compose in my head and then write. After that, it's more or less done except for fiddling with words. I am not a poet. I do not spend time worrying about meter or any other things upon which real poets focus. I am easily distracted and amused.”

Modest words indeed from someone who is both professionally accomplished in his chosen fields of endeavor and has also crafted this wonderful poem regarding a box turtle, in this case a Terrapene carolina carolina, an Eastern or Woodland Box Turtle from Ohio. Many of us fellow scientists and aspiring poets who have previously had their personally composed poems about turtles published in this journal can probably well understand and empathize with the author's assessment of why we try our hand at poetry. For myself, and I'm sure, for others, it's also a way of expressing our personal feelings and passion about turtles that cannot be conveyed in a scientific paper, and perhaps in some way we thereby hope to reach and inspire others among us who may be moved to care for turtles not only by science, but also by poetry.

Copyright 2021 by Ohio Biological Survey; reprinted with permission of the author.