Pond Gazing
A Chinese mermaid locked in the oval confines of
her water domain swam along
flagstone and cement
shorelines; wild,
fretful,
her
hair
flowed like
refined burnt
sienna seaweed
while shimmering smooth scales adorned
delicacy's aquatic granddaughter. Anxious. Caged.
Gazing into the pond's greenish surface, only an
innocent eight-year old girl saw
Jiao Ren's feminine
form dash in
frantic
pain;
the
child dipped
her hand through
the pond, touched Jiao Ren's
palm, froze; the mermaid surfaced, smiled,
shed crystal teardrops that transformed into sorrow's pearls.
