I still recall your eyes
and how I saw the green of sea
dwelling
swelling deep inside
the night you said:
“I sense the salt again
my skin needs brine
my hair craves kelp to swirl
I want to ride in foam
that forms on waves, again”
I knew the brine of tears,
the sorrow of my salt
is joy for you,
but still I took you hand
and said:
“Tonight the moon is kind,
I’ll walk you to the sea
and we can let the surf decide”
I knew the treasons of the deep,
you came from green below
to me
and tonight you’ll leave
to ride the foam of waves, again.
I’ll wait a while but know,
one night
the moon will call for me
again…
I’ll cry
I’ll taste the salt
I’ll fill the pockets of my coat with rocks,
to see the sea, the green and you,
again.
Today we are writing about sea-folk, mermaids, and sirens with De at dVerse. Join the fun.
June 23, 2020
Björn Rudbergs writings 
FABULOUS illustration for this poem. I love this…..to have known the love of the mermaid….to walk her back to regift her to the sea and feel the salt of tears on your face when you say goodbye. You do know how to write romance, Bjorn! 🙂
This is very much in the tradition of the mermaid. I like the repetition, like a ballad.
This is like a ballad. Lovely.
Your story could be a companion piece to mine.
I know… same story different perspective.
Yes, exactly.
I so love the story, though the ending is sad. Love the color of the green and this line:
I knew the treasons of the deep
So beautiful in its melancholy. (K)
I’ll tell you what, we all found some boffo illustrations for this prompt; yours is my favorite so far. “Same story; different perspective” says so much. In effect, all poetry falls in this realm.
So sad to bid your selkie farewell … but better to have loved and lost etc.! You DO do romance well, Bjorn.
I love the meticulous formatting, use of quotation marks back and forth, the use of the briny tears throughout, and the tragic ending. I can imagine his sorrow and looking out upon the water “when the moon is kind.”
Goodness. The filling of those pockets with rocks. Sobering, and stunning. I’m deeply enamored of the line, “Tonight the moon is kind.”
such romance and deep emotion, love this one!
sigh, the romantic in me loves everything about your poem.
A great poem Bjorn! Love the draw of the sea taking her back and the salt of your tears…
I knew the treasons of the deep,
Heartfelt love.
No matter what, if two souls are meant to be together, they will be together.
The impossible love. This is delicately done, Bjorn, and beautifully sad.
Apologies for the late read (or early – it’s morning now) but I haven’t been myself lately and am so tired by evening. Your poem is exquisite, Björn. I love that it is from the point of view of the mermaid’s lover. The repetition of green took me down to the depths of the ocean, and the repetition of brine and the phrase ‘sorrow of my salt’ emphasised the sacrifices the mermaid made for love. I like the foreshadowing of the lover’s sacrifice to the ‘treasons of the deep’ to be with his mermaid. And what a gorgeous illustration.
Perfect interpretation for your chosen picture. I love “I’ll fill the pockets of my coat with rocks,
to see the sea, the green and you,
again.
Star(fish) crossed lovers…beautifully penned!
Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Amazing poetry shared.
My favorite kind of poetry my friend.