Maid of the Sea

The sculptured mermaid hung at the prow,

And breasted the highest waves,

Her hair flew back from the salt and spray

Was carved from some wooden staves,

She never smiled in a cruel sea

But watched for the distant shore,

In hopes that one day, try as they may

They’d leave her behind once more.

She’d had enough of the fuming foam

Of the white capped waves by the shore,

The heaving swell made her feel unwell

And each storm brought a taste of Thor.

She’d once been used to a merchant’s lot

Had sailed to the East and West,

Her arm was shattered by cannon shot

When the French attacked at Brest.

But now she was tied to a Man-of-War

She couldn’t escape her fate,

She knew she’d end on the ocean floor

If support was a little late,

Her skirt was ragged, was chipped and torn

And her paint beginning to fade,

She lived in dread of the Dutchmen’s horn

Or the sound of a fusillade.

The only time she was known to smile

Was back in the port once more,

She’d meet and greet with all of her friends

The carved figureheads of war,

She’d will the ship run into the pier

To tear her away for good,

And hope the break would be clean and sheer

To pamper her aching wood.

The salt and damp got into her pores,

The rot set into her bones,

Then one fine day when a world away

She dropped to a bed of stones.

She sits below where the sailors go

When their ships cast them to the deep,

And as they pass she will smile at last

As they enter their endless sleep.

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[A Soap Mess Stories]

I love ❤️ mermaids and stories about mermaids.

[Avinash]

There is life in the seemingly lifeless bodies. Like most of the things irony also strikes them and their story is also worth being told. You have done a great job while doing this.

[Celie Rose]

Enjoyed reading your poem. I like this tale about this sea maiden. Imagery and description is well written and expressed.

[Coyote Poetry]

I truly loved this poem.
"She couldn’t escape her fate,
She knew she’d end on the ocean floor
If support was a little late,
Her skirt was ragged, was chipped and torn
And her paint beginning to fade,
She lived in dread of the Dutchmen’s horn
Or the sound of a fusillade."
The above lines. Amazing description. My favorite type of poetry. The sea and a maiden. Thank you David for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[AlieahRose]

I loved the foreshadowing and the story in such a amount of words and writing. Excellent.

[wordman]

a beautiful tale mr paget

[Valentine]

Loved this one. In movies is the only place to see those old ships and I love watching them. I liked the surprise ending, the sailors destroyed her and she smiles when they join her. Valentine