my little mermaid

loves splashing in the sea

coral gardens, seagrass meadows

living palaces for hide-and-seek

underwater mountains

so grand to explore

teeming, swirling schools of fish

colourful brilliance she adores

 

dolphin ring-around-the-posies

she can play all day and night

where have my manatee friends gone

curiosity soars above her height

searching rivers and coves

she grows restless for their plight

sponge and jellyfish observe silently

millions of years on their side

 

beneath the eternity of the sun

surrounded by the pull of the moon

my little mermaid listens keenly

to the place she calls home

whales sing of changing times

trade winds whisper to dancing waves

waters warming, storms spin more furious

to invisible forces, yield or become resilient

 

they that walk without tails

over disappearing lands

 hold keys that can turn

the tide of changing climes

they possess knowledge and power

to keep ice caps whole

restore balance between air and sea

to preserve that place they call home