On Becoming a Mermaid

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Thu, 13 Feb 2014
  • 1243 reads
8 comments
 
And if I should carol aloud, from aloft
All things that are forked, and horned, and soft
Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea,
All looking down for the love of me.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
 
I should like to walk to the sea...one of these
blameless, summer days, where shivering sands
and the undiluted beauty of it all would welcome me. 
 
Bid me sit on a rock; watch, unblinking,
as makeshift boats get taken
by the waves...
 
to wear their foam like a robe, and I would grow fins
where my arms, once, had been.
 
to bind my hair, with Green Ribbon,  as it wefts 
and it weaves, and the thin, white line of a gull
as it flies – my homily.
 
Say farewell to my brief life – ablaze with longing,
as today, the glory of the ocean will suffice
for it would teach me to let go of
things I cannot hold;
 
to readily give back the gift of speech, and forget
how to weep...eyes no longer blue, just the colour 
of incurious love.
 
Have no use for stockings or shoes, and drown, 
and drown again, in the incessant
indifference of the sea.
 
 
 
 
Certificate PG
Poem
Spiritual

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Every part of this is exquisite and touching, too. Really beautiful. I feel like writing it out and framing it to hang on my wall so I can read it every day. 

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, Bee.  Such a lovely thing to saysmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

It's great when one poem insspires another in fact this is one of the reasons I go on Abc so often. Merging with the ocean, yes, with your fins fully formed. Maybe it would not be indifferent and it would love you cos you are lovely and you deserve it  smiley   Elsie
 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, Elsie...muchlysmiley

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Oh!  Tina,  this is a strikingly beautiful poem and one of my favourites of yours. 

Mermaids are one of my passions,  I actually have a Mermaid in my own image,  made out of clay by a lady in Cornwall.

Very professionally written and a real gem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Gosh, Jenny...I'd really love to have one of those Mermaid images of myself, but I'm not too sure of what the end result would look likesad However, I am sure yours is more than lovely.smiley  Seriously though, I have never even heard of anyone doing this, so I shall have to look up that lady in Cornwall, especially as my sister lives in North Devon.  Next time I go to visit, I shall see whether  I can perhaps track her down.

For I too, have always had a thing for Mermaids, and so had my daughter, Andrea, and in fact, the quote at the beginning of the poem was read on the scattering of her ashes from Southwold Pier.

Am delighted you liked it to much. Means a lot, as you can imagine.

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi again Tina,

the mermaid was made back in 1990,  so I'm not sure if she's still around.  She made it from a photo I sent her of myself at the time.  Sorry I can't be of any more help to you,  but there are some letters next to the date, that I think says PWH or K,  I'm not sure as it's not too clear,  whether these are her initials,  again is not clear either.

Hope you manage to find someone to make a mermaid and I'm sure it will turn out wonderful.

Have a good Wednesday.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, so much for getting back to me, Jenny.  I'll pass on the information to my sister, and see if she can find out anything.  She knows lots of people because she goes to numerous antique fairs and auctions, so she may come up with something.

Many thanks, again, and I hope that you, too, have a pleasant day...minus rain, hopefully.

Tina