Mermaid Tears

by Kristina Hagman

A stranger came up to me today

With the most peculiar thing

He held a vial in one hand

And in the other, a ring.

He handed me the bottle,

with a smile on his face.

He gave me also the ring

in a gesture full of grace

“These are important for you,

You’ll need them sometime soon.

Drink the liquid and wear the ring,

Be ready for the moon.”

I took the gifts and message too

With questions in my head

But he only winked and turned away,

Leaving me full of dread.

I uncorked the bottle

and took a deep breath.

It was salty as the sea;

smelling just like death.

I hung the ring around my neck

it was a noose of lead.

I prayed that when the moon arrived,

I would not be left for dead.

A week had passed

since the stranger’s warning.

The air was frigid

And filled with mourning

The moon would come tonight, I knew.

It was time to face my fate.

Whatever Destiny had in store,

I wished she would be late.

But as the moon lit up the sky

I knew that it was time

I uncorked the vial of mermaid tears

And in the distance heard a chime

With shaking hands and beating heart,

Upon my finger I placed the ring

I closed my eyes and parted my lips

And with that, began to sing.

A beautiful song erupted

Vibrant, and full of life.

But then the melody quieted

And I could feel the strife.

Cold water drenched my body

And I knew that I was she

who had left the water for the land

who had become, well, me

I had cried these salty tears,

A long, long time ago

And where the ring would lead me now

I most certainly did not know.

But one thing I knew with certainty:

I needed to find the man

Who had given me the ring and vial

Who had lent a helping hand.

He had returned to me my identity

And for that I owed my thanks

There were so many lacking memories

From when I had left my ranks.

The memories flowed back to me,

the life under the ocean.

I remembered crying those mermaid tears

That were used to make this potion.

A tear slipped down my cheek just then

Salty as the sea

It had no magical properties,

because I was still me.

Did I wish for the waves?

The life I had back then?

That person was different from me;

Did I wish for her again?

The answers to these I did not know

I was quite sure of this.

But a little voice had told me:

“It’s alright to reminisce.”

I realized I did not miss my life

Down there under the waves

This life on land was good enough

For one, like me, who behaves

Although I had once been someone else

This was who I was, now

I was content with these memories

And with that, I made a vow

I would be happy with this life

Since I had chosen it

I would live each day completely

And I promised to never quit.

Something strange happened that day,

The most peculiar thing.

A stranger had given me a gift,

And I saw what life could bring.