COME HOLD ME IN THESE WATERS

In days of wandering far and wide
Alone upon paths he had never walked
Across lush valleys and over steep ridges
Fording rivers and skirting the swamps
From atop this mountain he wanted to know -
What was drawing him down to that valley below ?
Drawing him away from where he would go

Swiftly descending upon an easy path
Unknown birds warbling strange songs
Exotic blossoms never had he seen before
Huge trees covered in jade hued leaves
Obscuring the ridge from where he came
Shading a river he knew not it's name
Unlike other valleys nothing here looked the same

The instinctive chill running down his spine
And his hackles raised high were mistaken
For ebullient goose bumps, excited as he was
Upon seeing her play above the river
Long hair as dark as a raven's wing
She froliced upon a wisteria swing
Swinging over the river she began to sing

"Come into the river with me
Come hold me in these waters
So very long I have not been held
So very long I have been lonely"
His senses reeled and his heart did quiver
Releasing her swing, she plunged into the river
Splashing water sparkling in a sunbeam's sliver

Resurfacing, she swam for the bank
Stepping out and slipping off her wet kirtle
"Come with me into the river
Come hold me in these waters"
Blood was pounding as his heart did race
Looking into her eyes and lovely face
Kirtle at her feet, wet delicate lace

Mesmerized he gazed at this exotic beauty
His eyes taking in her every brown curve
Thus so enchanted he fell under her spell
Barely feeling the rifle slip from his fingers
Slipping off powder horn, shot pouch and pack
Letting everything go he should not lack
Slipping out of his buckskins, never looking back

Drawn to her beauty and open arms
No heed paid to the chill down his spine
As more than hackles had been raised
Harder than the pounding in his heart
Advancing swiftly without a care
Water dripping like jewels from her wet hair
Just short of her he stopped and stared

Taking her hand, she led him downstream
Where the river grew swift, shallow and wide
Down by where this nameless river fell
Into a beautiful mist shrouded pool
Beside this pool she released him and then -
Slipped into the water coming up to her chin
Gently bobbing she started singing again

"Come into this pool with me
Come hold me in these waters
So very long I have not been held
So very long I have been lonely"
Into unknown waters, clear and cool
He leaped right in like a lusting fool
Neck deep seemingly into a nymph's pool

Nearly obscured by the mist, she swam away
Close behind, he cut through the water
Turning she faced him with a mysterious smile
In her warm embrace he felt no chill
Even warmer after what was next to occur
Slowly putting himself inside of her
Much too warm for him to barely endure

Their lips and bodies, tightly they pressed
Deep inside that warmth he closed his eyes
Taking her lips off his she softly said -
"So very long I have been hungry"
For his foolishness he would pay a price
No longer warm, now cold as ice
Her embrace was like a steel vise

Her once lovely smile, now a fanged maw
Her once sweet full lips, now thin and scaly
Her once raven hair, now algae green
It's sharp curved talons tore into his back
His water nymph had turned into a cannibal hag
Into the dark depths it began to drag
Another lustful fool it happen to bag