Do you ever have a piece of writing floating around in the ether? Perhaps it spins around… looking for a place to settle, whispering a bit, but doesn’t really belong anywhere? Well, welcome to the club.
Last year—or maybe even longer—I went into a mythology hole about mermaids. And, these two poems emerged. Currently, they don’t fit into any collection that I’m working on. Maybe there will at some other time or place.
I try not to be too precious about my writing. Maybe these poems will never fit in anywhere. Maybe they’ll just linger here. Breathing in salt and languishing in the water.
Who could ask for more?
Below, two mermaid-themed poems for your perusal.
Salt and Ruin
broken jewelry, particularly a string of pearls / it’s a kind of beauty / lost things are a lost art / a shipwreck is a type of birth / I’d kiss you like drowning / down here, it’s all love / romance is a lack of oxygen / sea foam and rocks is a currency / my currency is overdue / I love to love / especially when you are lost / the moon is a lush, beautiful, and great god / the moon steers ships by the tide / to ruin, or to paradise? / destiny is a myth / without crowns / my song / is still / unknown / my voice / is a violet pearl / loaded under / a broken bottle of stars / there’s so much / I want to show you / sea serpents / my sons / if you’d curl under the water / let a wave change your body / there’s beauty / in this ruin / if you could find a way to love / through / the salt
Siren Song
How sweet:
The voice
which pierces
salted air.
Surf’s edge
like opal moons,
peridots, and pearls.
This love
is chartreuse.
With teeth, always
teeth.
Open up,
gracious lover.
I love your words so much, thank you!!