THE MERMAID

 

 

We found her in our nets exhausted,

lifeless amongst wriggling fish,

and wondered at her pale beauty.

 

Some joker said he’d screw her anytime

if he could figure out a way,

and the ship’s boy touched her tail

 

then jumped back startled when she stirred

and we burst into laughter—nervous laughter

as she turned to face us.

 

But she smiled good-naturedly,

glittering sea-drops in her hair,

sunlight on her scales and flesh,

 

and dazzled us with her smile.

 

 

                                         Pavlos Andronikos

 

 

Published in Poetry Monash no. 35 (1992), p. 12.

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