Merfolk Tale

The glistening merman
Virile, handsome and sure
With tawny sea locks
And gleaming sea glass eyes.

He was sought by dozens
Of eligible sea maidens
Their hair a bright rainbow
On the cold ocean floor.

But try as they wooed him
Their coos fell on deaf ears
For the brilliant young merman
Was already in love.

He had seen her one morning
On the shore above him
Bathing in sun
Her delicate skin.

His friends all admonished
They all shook their heads
But the son of the water
Could not be swayed

His friends then all left him.
Left him to die.
They knew merfolk need water
And perish in air.

But the boy was determined.
And drunk on his love
He felt quite invincible
Ready to conquer the earth.

He would stand without water,
He would win the girl’s hand!
And live without gills
And walk on dry land!

So he swam to the surface
And caught the girl’s eye
She beckoned him closer
And the merman began.

He squirmed on the sand,
Out of the waves
And rolled to her feet
For fins cannot walk

She smiled at the ocean child
And he felt his heart skip
His head was ever lighter
For he could not breathe the air.

And she stared at the merman
Whilst he began to die
Gasping for his breath
He could not form words.

A million words he tried to say
But nary a one, the boy could grasp
To tell his love, his only love
That he died for her.

Then he grew cold
And dried in the sun
His tawny sea locks
Matted in the sand.

And the woman he adored
With one more curious glance
Went back to her home
And said “isn’t that nice?”