The Upside Down Mermaid




This mermaid floats quite comfortably upside down,
entirely right in her watery world, scales flickering red,
carrying calla lilies so carefully at winter solstice.

Winged, she floats and soars in our imagination,
Transformed from the depths with her flowers
and innocent eyes and pink wings,
where up is down and right is left.
Direction doesn’t matter, nor age, nor place.
Only dark and light.

Every day her light filters everywhere,
like violin music weaving together the blue, blue water
and the blue, blue sky,
seamlessly, endlessly.
Even the night holds no terror.


This poem was inspired by a visit to Isaiah Zagar's Magical Garden, Philadelphia, December 2007.