Poolside Mermaid - Diane Scantlebury

A little mermaid by the pool came and sat,
Snorkel and mask pinning back her golden braids
And before I had time to draw breath or make a wish,
In she dived to swim like a silvery fish,
Beneath the surface her tiny feet kicked
Churning up bubbles and small ripples with every flick,

Where each splash landed more circles would grow,
That dissolved back into the waters of the deep
With every twist and wriggle her body would throw,
A rainbow spectrum of shimmering stars
In an aquatic display of colour bizarre,

Then back to the surface with a whoosh she broke
To present to her parents the treasure she’d found,
Face beaming with pride and aglow
Clutching something in her small hand,
A plastic, pink, broken hair band.

Diane Scantlebury