The Mermaid

    At Avenue C below the lifeguard tower,
    That silver body of the coiled bonita

                Flowed with her silver hair, bonita,
                My catch in whose green eyes I saw my face.

    In the surfcaster’s bucket I saw my face
    And hers drawn by the line out of the water,

                We were both living creatures from the water,
                Half-human and half-human on one shore.

    But which of us was welcome on that shore
    Of recognition? Our soles painted with tar,

                Barred at the threshold till we cleaned the tar
                From our bare feet, we both came home.

    She gave me a new word to say for home
    At Avenue C below the lifeguard tower.