Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Mermaid's Song at the Rocky Island

Synopsis of yesterday's episode:  Bearnacle Bear had been imprisoned in the land of the humans. Although he became friends with some of the prisoners, being captive was very difficult and Bearnacle Bear's spirit nearly broke. With a little assistance from folks who wished to remain anonymous, Bearnacle Bear was able to escape the prison and the land of the humans. He set off in a small boat but nearly perished in yet another storm. He washed up on a small island and thought that he had gone mad.


The treacherous sea claims sailors and boats
I was on a small island that seemed uninhabited. I couldn't see much because it was raining and hailing so hard. 
But, at that moment, I looked out to sea and saw a female form. I was sure that she was a mermaid.
Are mermaids real or am I just going mad? 
The mermaid began to sing, and this was her song...

Crashing waves spray venom over the land
A siren's song leads a tall ship astray
Terrified sailors flee in tiny boats
The swirling sea always claims its victims.

Years later, a siren's song is sounded.
A lone sailor drawn by the deadly song
The swirling sea could engulf the whole ship
but the sailor steers into night time fears.

A lone sailor drawn by the siren's song,
to the beautiful melody of doom...
The sailor steers into his nighttime fears,
the stark blackness of a watery grave.

To the beautiful melody of doom,
sailors frantic to flee the sinking ship.
The stark blackness of a watery grave
could be their fate, but they are rendered blind.

Sailors frantic to flee the sinking ship
join the sailors of other times and ships.
Could it be their fate to be rendered blind,
trapped under the sea, unaware of time?

Joining sailors of other times and ships
these sailors were still staring at beauty.
Trapped under the sea, unaware of time,
they forgot their homes, families, and ship.

These sailors were still staring at beauty
but the lovely ones were an illusion.
Forgetting their homes, families, and ship,
they lived in twilight, their memory gone...

The song suddenly stopped. Was it the tale of my crew? Did they survive the storm? Where are they? Did the mermaid know?
I watched the mermaid, waiting for her... no, hoping for her to come to speak to me or to sing more of her song.
I walked on shore, soaking wet after the terrible storm, and went to seek shelter. I was relieved to be away from the humans and their prison so, even if I was on a tiny island far from home, I was happy.
I was, however, gripped by hunger. I found a tree and...

(to be continued tomorrow)

3 comments:

  1. What a great continuation! What great prose from the mermaid. I too am curious if her song was referencing Bear's crew.

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  2. What a beautiful poem! I can't wait to see what comes next. The prose flows perfectly with the painting.

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  3. Poor Barnacle! I wish I could give him a sandwich!

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