contemporary mermaid

and she's groundless:
so still as to be thought
a doll without dysfunction
a hazy silhouette with nymph-glittered hair

she scatters bitter smiles of
angry red lipstick
into the whisper-scented river

and her eyes swallow entire mountains of the palest evergreen
and refresh the stream

the marigolds in her hair
shine yellow in the almost sun

and her hand drifts silently into the water
saturated with envisioned galaxies of stardust silt

she is swallowed by the universe
neptune, uranus, pluto
adorning her arms like
melancholy rhinestones

her body speaks in ripples

and she's groundless.