Poem III

I promise I'm still a writer. But poetry is a part of that.

Sirens

Jim Blow

At the melodic call of a beckoning mermaid, sailors heads are turned.

They abandon their duties, their posts, their raid, and flock to see the beautiful mermaid.

At the rails of the ship the sailors gawk,

staring down at the beautiful sirens.

With a wink and a paddle, the mermaids mock

the land-bound swabbie's labored chagrin.

Shirking their duties, and piratical work, the mates look back to see no reward.

Unsure and peer-pressured they leap o’er the rail, their captain pleading for them not to bail.

Only now in the water do the crewmen now see,

the mermaids were lying down here in the sea.

In a quick flash the men are dragged down, knowing only too late they’re about to be drowned.

Some dragged deeper feel shame and remorse,

They regret ever having fallen off the horse.

Whether saved by their captain, or resisted their own, any survivors are, with mermaids, well-known.

So when the tempting sirens comes, see the sirens, Turn and run!

To stay on the ship, work to reap a reward,

is far better than to fall overboard.