Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Wonderful Horseshoe Crab. The Wonderful Horseshoe Crab's existence is being torn between two worlds. Our American Horseshoe crab, Limulus polyplemus, (Which has been extant for 200 million years--a fossil for 480 million!), Arrives each year to lay its eggs on our eastern shores-- Masses crawl up the beach, dig holes to lay; eggs fertilized in situ. The egg laying timing coincides with the migration of the Red knot, Calidris canutus, Flying, and requiring added 'egg' energy for its voyage from South America to the far north. Both species thus coincide--except now for climate change, When the egg laying and birds' arrival time are slowly shifting out of sync The FIRST pending calamity manifesting from human activity. Now come humans, with all their enquiring and invention; The blue blood of the crab is desired and harvested.. Why onever for? When added to tested medications, clotting occurs, If and when impurities obtain in any otherwise desired result. Millions of crabs are harvested and bled, Some are returned to the wild to assuage the human conscience, But most ultimately, surely succumb and are no more. The crab population needlessly and tragically dwindles Even though there is now a less expensive manufactured replacement, Less used, but perfectly ready to be substituted! Why? Perhaps the gatherers of the crabs, being shielded, will lose employment; So let's just continue with the status quo. This, the SECOND pending calamity manifesting from human activity. The Crab's welfare versus Human welfare--a certain dilemma in an ever-complicated world. Frank Maurer 19 June 2023 1455 Hours.