How can you compete with a beast of eight feet, three hearts and nine brains
A shapeshifter replete so fleet with jet propulsion in a cloud of ink stains
Suction cups for a hand, at home in water but can walk on land, an escape artist
Sealed bottle can escape with toes of tape, of all mollusks the smartest
Tastes with its fingers, to invites seldom lingers, known to keep a pet
To a mate stays true all life through, not interested in anyone else met
When young are born from mother and father life is torn both die
Broken three hearts from mate's body never departs over her corpse he does lie
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Author:
sorenbarrett (
Offline) - Published: December 16th, 2025 02:58
- Comment from author about the poem: Have kept various octopus as pets for years and despite their short life spans they have been quite dear, each with its own personality. Some very playful inventing their own games, some quite friendly insisting on touch and shaking my hand each morning, copying behaviors. With them in my office I was able to observe them continuously eight to twelve hours a day five to six days a week. I had them give birth and watched them die, feeling more grief with their passing than many of the other household pets.
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Comments14
Unusual pets, and good write SB. KP might have nine brains but uses none of them! lol.
Thanks Orchi for the read and yes when I went to a pet store one day I saw one and decided to start. I was told that you could no keep a small salt water tank and too the challenge going to the ocean each morning with a five gallon bucket wading out waste deep and dipping fresh salt water to change for half of the water in the ten gallon tank. The octopus did well and grew and I moved up in time to a hundred and ten gallon tank. Loved salt water fish and had most kinds but the octopus would eat all of them except one that she kept as a pet.
Got this image of you filling the five gallon bucket, which must be bloody heavy.
I would imagine octopusses to be very interesting pets, and I never knew they had a short life span, definitely didn't know both parents died.
I have watched them escaping from tight spots which is brilliant.
How long do they live for.
Giant octopus of the Pacific can live for four or five years but the small ones have a life span of two years one year to grow to full size and another year to breed. Thanks so much for the read and comment it is most important to me.
An amazing experience and lifestyle that I have yet to explore! I did know that they’re meant to be smart 🙏🏻🕊️
Thanks so much for the read my friend. They are amazing animals they invent games and play when no one is watching, engage with those they know flashing colors as if trying to communicate and imitate, watching me scrub the tank with a tooth brush it came and took it from my hand and scrubbed its beak. They are the model of a true love monogamous and devoted they give their life for their young literally and die broken hearted when the female dies. I say broken hearted because I watched as the take bits of food and try to insert them into the mouth of the dead and dying, raise the body to the surface as if to revive it and stand guard over the corpse so nothing will eat it then die themselves depressed and listless.
That’s so beautiful, Soren🙏🏻🕊️
This poem revolves around an imaginative depiction of a mythical sea creature that exhibits both intelligence and emotional depth, mirroring human experiences of love and mourning. It highlights the creature's life cycle, mating rituals, and the profound impact of relationships that lead to grief. Your poem aims to provoke thought about the nature of relationships, loyalty, and grief, using the fantastical as a lens to examine the deeply human experiences of heartache and connection. Through the creatures you painted, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with love and loss.
Thank you so much Friendship for the read and interpretation. Actually it is a factual depiction of my observations of my pet Octopus every observation not exaggerated or mythical.
You're so welcome, my friend,
😂
Wow, this is amazing. So much I didn't know about an octopus. So well written
Thank you Katie for the read and support it is most appreciated my friend
A great tribute borne of experience of what must count as one of the most amazing life forms ever to struggle up the evolutionary tree, most definitely up a different branch to us.
(life spans a conundrum - time perception a relative concept?)
Thanks Soren.
Thanks so much Dave for the read and understanding review it is appreciated
Happy holidays, sorenbarrett. A fine write.
And a happy holidays to you as well and thank your for the read and comment Jerry
Wow. I would never have considered octopi as pets. An eloquent tale of unusual grace.
Thanks so much for the read and comment it is most appreciated
Very interesting!
Thanks so much for the read and comment it is appreciated
I didn’t realize they kept pets! Amazing creatures, to be sure. Lovely tribute ❤️
Thank you for your read and comment it is deeply appreciated. I too never realized this and have never read anyone else comment on it but I have observed it with mine and an certain it was not coincidence in that it consistently ate all other fish I put in the tank but kept one that it did not eat over a period of months and in fact would at times reach out and pet it.
Oh my heart!
# I'd like to be , under the sea # Interesting Facts you gave. Fascinating Creatures.
Thank you Kevin for your read and response it is most welcome and valued
Interesting words soren, intriguing animals.
Andy
Thanks for the read Andy it is most appreciated
wow - to keep an octopus as pet would have been interesting judging from your interaction with them- my son had tried to keep goldfish but would be heartbroken as each of them died, so stopped having them as it was also difficult to find a home for them each time we travelled . I marvel at your empathy with these pets
Thank you so much Nafisa for the review and kind words of support. Yes it was challenging but well worth the effort in how much they shared with me about themselves that one can not get from reading or watching a nature show. I empathize with all nature and have taken a Buddhist point of view respecting all life.
Both my son and daughter also hold Buddhist beliefs, though we are Shia Muslims...
I believe that Humanity is the best religion - if you area terrorist in the name of religion, then you are a monster and not a human being.
So happy to read about your bond with your pets...
Joy and happiness to all of you
thank you and wish you and yours the same
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