far back wet rock walls rimming the pool, the low sun laying an orange stripe across the still water.
in the middle the pool floor arranged like a tiny city, anemone towers, a barnacle amphitheater, streets of pebble cobblestone, hermit crabs pulling shell carts.
up close the mayor starfish on a flat stone balcony, two shrimp sweeping the cobbles, a snail lamplighter touching a glowing dot of algae, and a tiny fish peeking over the rim.
the layers, back to front · one pair of hands each
