With drips and bursts and streams from their blowholes
Beluga whales blow bubbles in the sea;
The air encases liquid as it roles
Languidly from their choice of cavity,
And even though the whales seem quite carefree
The different bubble types reflect their mood,
With drips and mouth rings playful as can be;
When shocked a burst they will choose to exude,
And bubbles stream through see-through sheets in multitude.
This is a Spenserian stanza about a recent study, which investigated the bubble blowing of Beluga whales, and how the different types (fall into one of four source-shape combinations) were potentially a reflection of their mood.
An audio version of this poem can be heard here.
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