The Last Word On Nothing

Watasenia scintillans, also known as the sparkling enope or firefly squid, grows to about 3 inches long and lives only one or two years.

The firefly squid’s body is covered with bioluminescent cells that serve many different functions. The glowing cells on a squid’s arms help it signal and communicate with its peers. The cells on its belly act as counter-illumination, rendering the squid near-invisible while it’s hunting. But when it’s courting, the squid lights up its entire body, and sparkles with everything it’s got.

This poem imagines one of these tiny animals sharing her wisdom in a commencement speech.

(A note for my fellow pedants: in the audio recording below, you will hear me say “podium” instead of “lectern,” because I recorded this before realizing my error. I have since corrected the text. A talking squid stands on a podium, at a lectern. Obviously.)

And now, the poem:

Watasenia Scintillans Addresses the New Graduates

She clutches the lectern with translucent arms.
She is older than her picture.
She closes her eyes slowly.
We all lean in.
“Life…” she says, tasting each costly letter,

“Life is short. Light your whole self up
every chance you get.”

*

Firefly squid painting by Katie Schuler; music and audio production by Grant Balfour.