"The Ebb of Evermore"

-Kearic lived under the waters

Not far from the windswept shore

He carved a crystal dwelling

And fashioned a coral door

-He knew each dear creature by name

Some ordinary, some divine

And every living thing knew him

Kearic, the gentle, the kind

-His hands and feet were perfectly formed

He had flowing, corded hair

His body was a sculpture of awe

But his lungs could not breathe air

-A childless woman cursed his life

(She'd birthed and buried three)

So she made a deal with the devil

That Kearic's breath would flee

-But Mercy's angel hovered close

As his mother fell to her knees

"He cannot walk upon the land,

So we'll give him to the sea."

-"She'll be his faithful keeper

And rock him on her waves."

His mother was crushed but thankful

That her sweet one's life was saved

-On the back of a great sea turtle

Kearic talked to his mother each day

But she shed many a heartsick tear

For together they could not stay

-So a sea lion taught him how to play

A blue whale taught him to swim

When Kearic missed his mother so

The dolphins comforted him

-He grew in compassion and wisdom

And became an honorable man

But Kearic ached when twilight came

With no one to hold his hand

-One evening in his solitude

He swam lonely with the tide

And saw a maiden in an ivory dress

With no one by her side

-Her delicate beauty was almost obscured

By her hat's wide silken brim

The hem of her gown trailed in the sand

Kearic stilled--she'd captured him

-He knew he had to meet her

But couldn't breathe the air

He gasped as she pulled away her hat

And down came her tumbling hair

-She walked down to the shore one night

With her long hair flowing down

And Kearic saw sweet Caroline

Fall cruelly to the ground

-In her hand she clutched a letter

That she read again and again

Kearic was pierced by her pitiful cries

And prayed, "God make amends."

-Up, away beyond the shore

A mother's cry on the breeze,

"Caroline, my child come home!"

But the call she would not heed

-There at the water's edge, she thought her life would end

Hopeless in her grieving, she couldn't even pray

Then Kearic swam toward Caroline

Who on the wet sand lay

-He watched over her until the moon

Climbed a ladder of clouds and shone

Then Kearic saw his Caroline

Standing near the surf like stone

-Her handkerchief blew into the wind

The letter flew 'cross the sand

Her sobs were quiet, but tears still came

Her reason had lost command

-Caroline walked into the raging foam

Churning waters pulled her down

'Til Kearic could not see her face:

His one true love would drown

-Kearic was there to lift her

But he had no breath to share

He could do nothing to help her now

And he wept for his dear one there

-He took Caroline into his arms

And swam to his crystal cave

Then fell on his knees and prayed to God

That her precious life would be saved

-"What grace you give me, bestow on her;

I beg thee, let her stay.

Let me hold her lovely hand in mine;

Never let her drift away."

-Mercy's angel descended the deep

And passed through the coral door

"You've been gentle and kind, good Kearic.

You'll be alone no more."

-Caroline breathed her first breath of water

And opened her emerald eyes

She saw dolphins and turtles above her

And Kearic by her side

-"I lost you in the tide, beloved;

Mercy's angel set you free.

I pray that you'll make this your home--

I love you; can you love me?"

-"Three years I loved a sea-going man--

For his ship he did depart.

His letter said he wouldn't return.

He broke my faithful heart."

-"I am Kearic, bright shining one,

Cursed to live alone, apart.

But the creatures and Mercy have blessed me here."

And his words played the strings of her heart

-In time, Triton married the lovers

They bade goodbye to the shore

And hand-in-hand the tide ushered them

To the ebb of evermore