Secrets of the Sea

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The sky spreads into a rainbow of blues and golds

like a Navajo blanket cast across the heavens

as the orange melts and stains the horizon

and as waves rush up and meet the shores

that are dyed silver with the blood of the sea

The roar abates as the foam edges sink into the sand

And regress, subdued.

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The dunes are silent, somber

from the lack of light or light of stars

While the moon rises and falls with the tides

turning the sandhills to dust.

The sea-gold moon beckons the sailors

to ride the waves to the ends of the earth

to the places where the mist falls swiftly

and floats over the sharp rocks until every man aboard

has lost his life to the sea-sprites and the sea’s spray

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The mermaids, laughing, steal their bones

As they wash up on the slippery rocks

Whittling them into flutes to pipe in laughter

Carving them into harps to play the strings

Magically, mournfully

Serenading passing whales with tales of their death

And the death of their memories, not knowing

that their lovers and sisters and mothers roam the beaches

Waiting for them to return.

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And the great water-beasts spread their tales in songs

that can be heard from the other side of the world

deep and high at once, echoing and fluctuating

while whale-calves listen in wonder

and sing of the humans, too.

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Seals roam on arctic glaciers, their icy shores peppered

with their sleek smooth bodies

and brown eyes that could be human—

because they were all selkies, once upon a time

water-fairies who forgot their speech

for their love of the water—love and longing

for nights spent playing among the icebergs

and the simple delight of fish and freedom

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Bark worse than bite? Or bite worse then bark?

Unpredictable and unchanging, an endless paradox

and time goes on the way clocks understand it,

but they cannot know of forever, and for forever

the waves will swell and crash as they cry out

lamenting love lost in the treacherous waves

and hearts lost to the silver waters.

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19 January 2005