A Crabby Christmas Tale

‘Twas a Saturday Homecrew, 

like almost all others

Hustle and bustle, 

with scrubbers and buffers

The siphons all strung, 

out and about

The tanks to be cleaned, 

inside and out.

The gloves were pulled up,

all over their hands

Attempting to keep clean, their fingers from sand.

And Danae with her scrubber, 

and me in accord

Had just begun the process 

to maintain the tanks we adored.

When at the staff door, 

we all heard such a clatter,

We rushed over to find 

what was the matter.

When what to our 

wondering eyes we did see,

But a man holding a crab 

as big as can be.

The question arose to 

what that was in the lab,

and I knew in a moment, 

it was a dead Puget Sound King Crab.

More rapid than waves, 

the curiosity came

As we quickly exclaimed, 

and called them by name: 

Now Maddie, now abalone, 

Now sculpin, Now Inky

On Pisaster, On Solaster, 

And even, on you, dear Pinky

To the top of the tanks, 

To the sides of the walls

Now splash away, 

splash away, 

splash away all

For those who haven’t seen

 this wonderful sight,

This isn’t the Science Center’s 

only crab delight.

The color it lacks, 

it’s pigment is missing

An albino Dungeness 

is worth reminiscing.

Families alike spring to your sleigh, 

and give us a visit

Open the weekend after Christmas, 

Come see our wonderful exhibit!

You shall hear us exclaim, 

doors open and lights shining bright

“Happy holidays to all, 

science is such a delight!”

By AmeriCorps Volunteer: Shannon Phillips