What a Turtle Has and Hasn’t

It’s true that turtles can make do
with fewer bones than mortals do,
for all the bones that they may lack
are compensated by their back
which curves skyward and then back down
to form a solid armored gown.

They spill no blood, pray not for healing
with such protection  for their ceiling.
Thus does creation seed the waters
with its tough-shelled  sons and daughters,
for though they may lack fins and gills,
they can overcome these ills.

If, perchance, you’re given to wonder
how a turtle breathes when under
water for up to an hour,
it simply executes its power
to hold its breath instead of breathing,
and when it comes to turtles teething,

instead of teeth, they have a beak,
(although it’s ill-advised to peek
inside a turtle’s mouth for proof)
its mouth is toothless, jaw and roof.
Please leave turtles their private places––
whether under shell or in their faces.

Consider sacred what God hath wrought,
instead of thinking of what they’re not!

I am so happy to have an excuse to use this photo of a turtle that I snapped last week! 
Thanks for this fortunate prompt!!!! For the Sunday Whirl Wordle 648 the prompt words are: creation seeds waters blood breathe turtle sacred bones curve sky pray heal