Barnacle by Bianca Settle
Hello, I’m Barnacle and I think it’s very rude
that mine and my family’s name is used
as an insult that you call someone if they won’t move.
Do they think we’re just lazy? It’s not nice to assume!
As a matter of fact, we couldn’t move if we wanted to
‘cause our heads are stuck to our rocks with sticky glue.
We choose our homes when we’re still tiny baby-dots,
floating around looking for the perfect spot.
Once we’re there we have to stay and really cannot leave,
which isn’t an issue at all, as far as I can see.
I live with other barnacles, sometimes hundreds strong.
We stick together forever, and this is where we belong.
For protection our bodies are in a strong white shell,
which gets thicker until it joins our neighbour’s as well.
On top we have a door which can close at will,
so when the tide’s out we can shut out pecking bills.
We really don’t like whelks (they’re snails that can kill),
as they make a hole in us and slurp us out with their tongue-drill!
Today the sun is bright and the tide’s been out for ages.
Our doors are shut tight so we don’t dry up like raisins.
I’m getting hungry and my neighbours are hungry too,
Luckily we needn’t move an inch to catch our food!
When the tide comes sweeping in it brings the plankton with it
so we open up our doors and use our special legs to catch it.
Our legs are called cirri, and they look a bit like feathers.
We flick them in and out to grab our food – isn’t that clever?
Just like all other animals, we have a major goal –
aside from just surviving, it’s the most important one of all:
Making little babies to continue our family tree
means our kind will be around for many years after me.
This talk of babies might make you wonder if I’m a boy or a girl
so what I’m about to say might set your head a-whirl…
Because I’m actually able to be both at the same time,
so I’ll be a kind mother-father combined!
So next time you think that we’re lazy or boring,
remember that even barnacles have a story.
For the rest of my life, this is where I’ll cling,
and I wouldn’t change that for a thing.
If you would like to learn more about the huge diversity of life that can be found along our coasts and shorelines, please contact our Education Director at education@dolphinresearch.org.au for a public event, school holiday program or school incursion/excursion.
