By LAINEY NOGA
A turtle is perched atop a leaf,
Floating in muddy water.
From up above, bobs up and down,
He tells me to hop on.
Floating in that muddy water,
New leaves are springing up.
He tells me to hop on so
Together we can grow.
New leaves give rise to turtles,
All assuring they can hold me.
I see that vines are growing,
I move slow, one shell per step.
The turtles say that they can hold me,
And they’re smiling up in glee.
Moving slow, one shell per step,
I let myself forget.
The turtles smile up at me,
As I leave it all behind.
I let myself forget
The muddy water and its grime.
I leave it all behind,
And now suddenly I see,
Above the water and its grime
The vines have taken hold of me.
Now suddenly I see that
While I heeded each new shell,
These vines were moving in,
For these turtles come from hell.
While I heeded each new creature,
They directed their leaves’ vines.
For these turtles come from hell,
And for that I was to die.
They directed their leaves’ vines
To wrap themselves around my neck.
For today I was to die,
And it was to be quick.
Vines wrap around my neck
And put pressure on my windpipe.
I think it will be quick,
This turtle prompted death.
The vines put pressure on my windpipe
But before they seal the deal,
This turtle prompted death
Is interrupted and concealed.
For before they seal the deal,
Thanks to a crooked shell,
An interruption would conceal me
Because I slipped and fell.
Stepping on a crooked shell
I plunge between the leaves
Yes when I slip and fall,
I am drowning, yet I am free.
I plunge between the leaves,
And it is here that I now live.
No longer drowning, just free,
I have learned how to breathe.
It is here that I now live,
Under this muddy water.
I have learned how to breathe,
How to see past the grime.
For under this muddy water,
I can finally accept,
That when I look past the grime
It’s not much of a threat.
Writer | Lainey Noga ’26 | enoga26@amherst.edu
Editor | Sarah Wu ’25 | sdwu25@amherst.edu
Artist | Sarah Wu ’25 | sdwu25@amherst.edu