A lovely day
for a mermaid parade
we dress in our best
on-land finery
which is always a trick
you know because
it must be attractive
enough to capture
attention and
ooohs and ahhhs (and
different every year;
no points for last year’s
outfit) and absorbent/
repellant enough
to bear repeated
sprays of salt water
(since only the upper half
can stay out of water;
the other, lower half
needs repeated dousing).
I love the parade but
I see it’s drawing
smaller crowds
a result I suppose of us
becoming like everyone else
but I will twirl my umbrella
in the sun even as I long
for what it was, once
(oh, you should have seen
it in the old days)
This poem is submitted for One Shot Sunday hosted by One Stop Poetry. To see other poems prompted by the picture, please visit the site. You also get to read an interview with Danielle Kelly, the photographer, and see some pretty cool photos.
Photograph: Coney Island Mermaid Parade by Danielle Kelly. Used with permission.
15 comments:
Creative angle on the challenge for sure! A photograph of mermaid parade to go with the nostalgic sentiment of better parades past. Very cool :) Thanks & Happy New Year, Glynn!
Being a country girl, I never heard of the mermaid parade, so your description of the parade is nice. For it being a parade, it seems the crowd couldn't care less.
Oh for days passed when the beach was a parade of mysterious beauty rather than the full exposure it is today.
Interesting concept, love the feelings that you describe and the train of thought style you use.
Amazing take--I actually had started out with a mermaid motif, but changed my mind. She does embody mystery, like some kind of mythical creature.Your short, sharp line structure helps give the sense of a parade, and the images are rich and satisfying.
Ooohhh -- a mermaid parade!
How wonderful.
Love the first person take you've given it -- and how we see her not 'becoming like everyone else" -
Great One Shot Glynn!
I laughed out loud at the repellant/absorbent line.
I would call this onw, "Whimsical." Yes?
Mermaids have become ho-hum and commonplace? Impossible.
Loved this very original take on the prompt.
Reflective - the woman reflecting on the past, on how so much has changed. Delicate and descriptive, good flow of thought that really adds to the sense of days gone by. Nice take.
There is no place like Coney Island, though it may be a bit more raw there now than in the past. The Mermaid Parade still goes on. Mer-men are in it these days. There's even a Sideshow School for those who think they're different enough, or freaky enough, to be pass Coney Island muster.
I, too, liked your "absorbent/repellant" line, the necessary "repeated dousing" of the lower half. A fun response to a fun prompt.
Love the reflection of what was...celebrations, places and things never reach the heights we once gave them...and all even mermaids must returen to the sea...bkm
Thanks Glynn I liked your take on the prompt and everyone else's comments. I thought it was original take and different from my own. Well done. Gay @beachanny
we don't have any mermaids in oregon waters.
just the larger variety sea monsters.
all the pacific mermaids hang out near southern california beaches.
i dont know of the mermaid parade but that didnt stop me enjoying the very essence of what you were conveying... a wonderful write, again, cheers pete
I enjoyed reading this my friend
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