Out on the morning’s first dawned wave
Before the sea gulls feast
Ocean mist and sunshine mix
‘Or the fishing nets released.

A wind sent gift, a distant song
Tis a fisherman’s temptation.
And he to his task must not break
Lest he glimpse the aberration.

But oh, how coy the mermaid is
Feigns she there in the knot.
Once there, disturbs the net’s cast so
He checks to see what’s caught.

What bounty this, his expectation?
For a fisherman does wish.
To catch early in his obligation
His net filled full of fish.

Then there she was a captive myth
Aboard his sea rocked vessel.
A prisoner in his macram ties
Pretending she to wrestle.

He caught his breath at her delight
She shimmered so with beauty.
And forgot right off to perform
His fisherman’s sworn duty.

The nets were lost, the fish gone free
As he unraveled her mesh cage.
Strove he then by a tender touch
Her distress to assuage.

Who is caught? His captive queried
Narrowing her sea green eyes.
And the fisherman had a premonition
Of his own ill timed demise.

Just then the ocean heaved and rolled
The boat teetered at the crest
And overboard the sea then tossed
The fisher’s mermaid guest.

To port, to port, he set with speed
His ears closed to her wails.
And as the ocean sent him safe away,
The skies filled up his sails.

His friend the sea had intervened
And brought him safe to ground.
The mermaid left again to fish
For a man should he be found.

10/29/2004