The Mermaids Weep

I need to live near water -
its ebb and flow the coursing
life of blood-blue depths
impervious to rain -
slow and rhythmic rising
movement, proof enough
against pain

I need to live near water's restless
toss and rushing vision, surface
tension binding light to
splice the seamy swell, a mobile sky,
and once I heard the shell-like
silence of the ocean

rise and fall like air - yet
I can neither dredge nor prise
this treasure from its sleep -
the song is cradled in a
bed of pearl so deep it is a

place where creatures lie awake
and never sleep, keep its ancient
secret safe from poisoned

nets of fishermen - if the rain
is calm and  you listen hard enough
from this distant cliff I swear
I hear the mermaids  weep  -

they sing earth's oldest
psalm within their lair - for they
know that we have lost our
ancient tongue and  
are lost here.

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