Poems (Charlotte Allen)/The Mermaid

by Charlotte Allen

For works with similar titles, see The Mermaid.

THE MERMAID.

A mermaid arose from her coral cave,
 In the depths of the dark, blue sea;
And sat on the crest of a sparkling wave,
Chanting her song o'er the mariner's grave,
 In a language both wild and free.

O, come thou with me to my little grot,
 'Neath the heave of the ocean's breast,
'T is a curious place, a lovely spot,
Where all the sorrows of earth forgot,
 You will there be a welcome guest.

My house is made of the brightest of shells,
 That are found in this briny. bed;
There sweetest contentment forever dwells,
Of the mermaid's abode, no being tells,
 None are there save the silent dead.

Then come, come with me to the sea-nymph's home,
 There are brightest gems of the deep;
Now dive far within the billow's foam,
Thou 'It feel no. desire away to. roam,
 Just take at my grotto a peep.

Come, hie thee away to-the depths with me,
 Ere the light of the day hath past;
Time flies, and I linger no more for thee,
But hasten away, for I plainly see
 Night's shadows are hurrying fast.

And since you have doubted the mermaid now,
 I will put-my word to the test;
Ere twenty: more hours have marked time's brow,
I pledge thee my truth in a solemn vow,
 I will take a ship's crew to my rest.

Thus sung the sea-maid, as breasting the wave,
 Her loose tresses floated in air;
Then uttered a shriek, as a plunge she gave,
To seek 'neath the billows her rayless cave,
 For her coming guests to prepare.

The sun had quietly gone to the west,
 Brightest gems had studded the sky,
A calmness spread o'er the ocean's breast,
While no human being e'er could have guessed,
 Of a storm then gathering nigh.

There came a proud ship from India's strand,
 Deep laden with gems rich and rare;
Her crew were a bold and a hardy band,
Firmly united in heart and in hand,
 And ready all danger to dare.

Ere the vessel had reached that fatal place,
 Where the sea-nymph had breathed her vow;
The storm-spirit came with a rapid pace,
And poured a wild blast o'er the water's face,
 And where is that proud ship now?

That barque long had struggled with storm and wave,
 And had reefed her sails to the wind;
But the crew were doomed to the ocean's grave,
And all their efforts could never save,
 Or leave e'en one mess-mate behind.

And there 'neath the dark sea's foamy crest,
 In the mermaid's bright coral cave;
Ere the twenty hours of time had prest,
That noble crew had all gone to rest,
 In the ocean's unfathom'd grave.