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Open Poetry #50
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sewasham
Senior Member
since 2006-09-11
Posts 714
Oklahoma, USA

0 posted 2017-07-10 12:17 PM



The Mermaid

While sailing out on morning’s tide
A mermaid on a rock I spied
She was a lovely half-fish girl
With a necklace made of whitest pearl

She smiled and blew a kiss to me
Then disappeared into the sea
She surfaced back behind the boat
And lazily began to float

I grabbed my friend and pointed aft
He thought that I was truly daft
For mermaids don’t exist, you know
My friend quite plainly told me so

No sooner had he walked away
The mermaid came again to play
She sunned herself upon some rocks
And combed her flowing silken locks

I hailed the Captain of our ship
But she had given me the slip
The Captain answered to my call
But saw no mermaid there at all

The Captain thought me quite insane
As my wondrous tale I did explain
When he returned back to his duty
I saw again my ocean beauty

She floated there upon a wave
A subtle wink she slyly gave
And then she flipped her lovely tail
Swimming along as we did sail

I called all of my sailor friends
To show them her curvaceous fins
They asked if I was feeling well
When my story I began to tell

I pointed to the mermaid fair
But when they looked, nothing was there
They thought that I had lost my mind
No mermaid out there could they find

They left and shook their weary heads
And sleepily went to their beds
My head was in a dizzy whirl
I saw the ocean waters swirl

Then once again she came in sight
Swimming in the pale moonlight
I yelled and danced a frantic jig
As they hauled me off into the brig

“He’s lost it” I did hear them say
As they sadly went upon their way
Through the port of my little cell
I watched the sea waves rise and swell

Then suddenly next to the glass
I saw the little seaward lass
She took the pearls off of her neck
And tossed them up onto the deck

Then off she swam into the deep
As I wearily slipped off to sleep
When came the early light of dawn
I stretched my arms and gave a yawn

Then my good friend upon the ship
Ran down with pearls fast in his grip
You won’t believe the sight I saw
He said to me, face filled with awe

Last night while I was by the rail
I heard a voice give me a hail
Next thing I knew, here came these pearls
From underneath the ocean swirls

"Quite right you were," he said to me
"A mermaid threw these from the sea"
I winked and said “I don’t think so”
"For mermaids don’t exist you know"

© Copyright 2017 Stephen E. Washam - All Rights Reserved
BluesSerenade
Member Patricius
since 2001-10-23
Posts 10549
By the Seaside
1 posted 2017-07-10 07:27 PM


Oh so clear clever.  Love this tale you told.

Kudos...

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
2 posted 2017-07-10 08:47 PM


One of the best mermaid poems I've seen...james
Namyh
Senior Member
since 2009-01-20
Posts 988

3 posted 2017-07-11 11:02 AM


sewasham - I loved the story, the rhythm and its flow. Fine work from your poet's pen. Now you got me searching for fin patterns. Namyh
Poet In Pink
Senior Member
Posts 1066
MI
4 posted 2017-07-18 12:27 PM


Sewasham ~ What a magical mermaid tale!!!  Absolutely love it   Thank you for taking me along on your wonderful journey ~ Alana
Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
5 posted 2017-07-22 09:33 PM


So nice to see you here again, Stephen. Your poetry is always magical.
Cerulean
Member
Posts 109

6 posted 2017-07-30 07:35 PM


Summer, the perfect time for a mermaid tale,
In oceanic depths do they swim, the mermaids;
Yet upon the rocks they bask, with fins of scale,
Those lucky to see them, in awe that pervades.

---------------
sewasham- I feel the beauty of the high seas in your writing. You are a natural at writing poetry that weaves in storytelling. It was a very enjoyable, relaxing and seaworthy read. It made me feel like writing something brief, so the above stanza is dedicated to your poem.

2islander2
Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825
by the sea
7 posted 2017-07-30 09:56 PM


this is very nice and subtle, to be read again and again


yann

LeeJ
Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296

8 posted 2017-07-31 09:31 AM


lovely!  very much enjoyed this happy tune, along with the rhyme.  


CastleGuard
Senior Member
since 2003-04-30
Posts 760
Alberta, Canada
9 posted 2017-07-31 02:17 PM


Great story, and a wonderful poem, Sewasham, loved it. Held my attention till the end, as I suspected some twist to the story.

Brought some memories from while back - if I may:
/pip/Forum89/HTML/002092.html

CG

Cerulean
Member
Posts 109

10 posted 2017-07-31 09:25 PM


CastleGuard- Be sure to check your poem. I left a comment there.
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