A Letter Home

A tragic tale, two brothers bold

and I too frail and old for Her attention

From that first night, they were in thrall

Each sighting drew them closer still

Her tightened net below the swell

She knows Her power, does what She wants

No damsel’s bower here just vengeance

And so, She hooked them, played them well

Her razor teeth, her fin and gill

A golden mirror, comb of shell

Fools captured by the lure of song

And too far gone for rescue or prevention

The scales of love fell from their eyes

Submerged before they realised

The impact of her webbed lies

It was all for her sisters She said,

These boys so handsome but too free with their attention

Their lives the price they had to pay

For foul misogyny of yesterday

She scours the seas for such as they

Now they are drowned and homeward bound

I struggle with depleted crew and pension

A warning to young men from me

Be faithful to your family

For there is peril on the sea