The Girl Who Became a Mermaid (Part 1)

Riding a seahorse
In chase after the squid man
Stole the hairpin my grandma gave me
We glide on currents
Surf on his water tracks
And catch him just before the algae

“Wait,” I tell him
“I’ll give you one thing.”
And I throw him a piece of gold.
He rolls it around
And content with it’s shine
He hands me my hairpin then rolls

“That was your ticket
Your way to get home”
Seahorse looks to the surface with fear.
“It doesn’t matter
I’m not going back”
There are so many mysteries here.

I know that my home
Is empty and dull
Now that all my family’s gone
“When you were drowning”
“It was an accident”
I say, but he paces; alarmed.

“You can stay here with me
There is a spare room
In my sandcastle behind the weeds.”
“I’ll catch you your plankton
I’ll make myself small.
You won’t even notice me.”

I look in my new room
And play with the pin
With lilies painted at it’s point
“Just when you think
That everyone’s dead--”
I jump at my mother’s voice

But this room is empty
And the ocean’s all fish
I fall on my bed with a sigh
All the memories I carry
Swirl round in my head
And then father’s gold tooth floats on by

It sails out the window
And I swim out to capture
The current gives it a life of it’s own.
I know it is his
By it’s pointed sharp shape
I know they are welcoming me home.

If I believe
That the dead can speak
What else here is possible?