what the waves bring

they have long abandoned briny water
breaking allegiance to
binding seas


having grown entirely human
having shed their exquisiteness
maidens walk among us now
some will call this evolution


they have consorted with the fragrance of wind
and have worn the patience of morning fog
like a veil for too long


quietly they gracefully appear
in our homes taking seats at our supper tables
and no one seems bothered


it’s a slow demonstration
what with weathermen predicting melancholy
     barkeeps talking to themselves
     doctors disagreeing


these maidens employ their art and skill
becoming self-sufficient
some will marry, rear offspring
others will wait for a
ripening opportunity


they will eat like us
     create like us
they will teach us
     and learn from us

and they too will eventually become
users and exploiters
of youth and what we call beauty


and like all land dwellers
they have exchanged one passage
     for another
all creatures having arisen
from the same spawn of heaving tides


the breath of sun will
become their holy vice

 
 
 

About the Author
Dan Sicoli, a three-time Pushcart nominee, authored two poetry chapbooks from Pudding House Publications, “Pagan Supper” and “the allegories.” His poems have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies including 2River Review, A New Geography of Poets, Angel Rust, Blue Collar Review, Bop Dead City, Chiron Review, Dressing Room Poetry Journal, Ethel Zine, Nailpolish Stories, Perfume River Poetry Review, Quercus, Rat’s Ass Review, San Pedro River Review, Santa Fe Literary Review, and, Stirring. When not editing Slipstream, you might find him banging on an old guitar in a garage rock band in and around Niagara Falls, NY. <www.pw.org/directory/writers/dan_sicoli>