hamartia

We were always told to
Wear our jelly shoes when
Exploring the rock pools
In case an urchin or weever
Fish crossed our path;
I stepped on an edible urchin
Echinus esculentus in Devon
At Budleigh Salterton one Summer
Even though I was shod
According to instructions the
Sharp spines easily penetrated
The translucent sole and entered
My eight-year old tootsie
Limping back to the beach
I was soon told that the thing
To do was to pee on the spines
So I did but that did not help
And I was left embarrassed
With my spine-speared foot
Delicately fragranced with wee;
The spines were removed with
Tweezers and a generous squeeze
Of germolene and I was given
An ice-cream for being brave