how the birds have awakened in me
the spring that brought them home
and reminded me to sing my song
not because i can nor i should
but because we all carry songs
raise your right hand, swear
allegiance to the flag
of my tongue, my heart
sing your gloria sing
the mermaid's song
neither fish nor woman
still her scales shine
pentatonic in the dawn
wreck yourself upon my
rocks each sailors son
or gentler than clouds
cerulean seas do swell
crescendo on my beach
launch your vessel
from this shore
until we sing
no more
1 comment:
The movement from birds to flags to mermaids to beaches is interesting. And the shape of the poem advances the meaning. "Cerulean seas do swell" has an archaic diction that doesn't feel like it matches the rest. "We all carry songs" leans toward cliche. If sailors are wrecking themselves on your rocks should it read "my scales shine"? I like the commanding tone of "swear allegiance to the flag of my tongue" and "crescendo on my beach."
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