A Mermaid's Tale told by the Handmaid

A Mermaid's Tale told by the Handmaid

 

reflected in the blue water

her green eyes

spotted surfing the waves

the men greet her with intentions

 

she slides away

doing the backstroke

backing away

from the attentions

 

four lines of objectivity

her capacity

to find distance

even as she smiles

 

to herself

and drifts

into her

tomorrows.

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/28/25

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

I get the feeling the mermaid may at one time paid attention to those attentions. That's why she knows enough to backstroke away now. Hopefully her tomorrows will be more pleasant.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Hopefully. Thank you John.
j.

[Soren]

This poem as seductive as the mermaid tickles the mind. A mermaid may be a siren that attracts to destroy or a simple flirt seductive in either form yet a tease pulls away from any real relationship. Her very nature prevents it as told in the ending of the tale by Hans Christian Anderson. The tale of a mermaid it their tail and not the type that a man can mate with. It seems a metaphor of nature and man's desires always chased and never obtained. If they were to be they would not be what is expected. A lovely poem Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

All those unattended to tails...poor mermaids.
Thanks for your words, Soren.
j.

[Soren]

You are most welcome Jacob

[Chris Shaw]

There are so many attention seekers around in this day and age, I can’t help but admire your mermaid and her back stroke skills, while still keeping a smile on her face. She is in control of her life and is making it quite clear that distance suits her. I guess that is problematic for the men with intentions. She has my approval j as does your lovely poem.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I really appreciate your words, Chris.
We all need to keep smiling even when it is hard to.read moreI really appreciate your words, Chris.
We all need to keep smiling even when it is hard to.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

So true j, so true.

[Lorry]

Now I can't help but think of Daryll Hannah and all the attention she got from us pesky males. It must be a trip for women to be constantly judged on their appearance by the lesser photogenic male, as they Wolf whistle their approval as a woman walks past them, which to their thinking is just asking for it, as they rest their beers on their guts and conduct cpr on themselves just to burp.
Perhaps the mermaid and her handmaid could swim into stepfordville, minus the men of course and build an electrified fence around themselves to keep those pesky men and their thinking at bay. 😀

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Ha ha. Yes. And John Candy's great line towards the end of the film, "What's the matter with you guys, haven't you ever seen a guy who's gone out with a fish before?"

[Jansy]

Jacob, This feels like sunlight skipping across restless waves. Your mermaid glides not just through water but through attention, a graceful lesson in keeping one’s own rhythm while the world leans in. I love how she smiles while drifting, part mischief, part quiet rebellion...like the universe winked, and we caught it in a bubble of salt and light. Perfectly liquid, perfectly human.

-James☆

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, through attention...such an astute reply to this poem, thank you, James.
j.