Mermaid by Chance

She swore she could breathe underwater.

After swallowing every tear,

And choking on every breath,

She could inhale oceans, no bother. 

She could swim the depths of her soul.

Endless leisure at her disposal,

She’d cross the Pacific of denial 

That had devoured her whole. 

If she ever chanced a peek  

Above the comfort of her sea,

The sunshine would scorch her eyes

A company she didn’t seek. 

And even in the darkest nights,

The waters would reflect, she swore,

A world stripped of pretensions

A pretty dazzling sight. 

And she would pick out treasures

Of sparkling memories.

They fuelled her beating heart,

Those long lost fading pleasures.

She swore she was counting her beats

Till her fuels had either run out,

Or fortified her enough

To stand on her two feet.