gripped in the shade black of this moment
not wanting to risk a toenail of sunshine
can’t lose anymore for fear of stagnation
along the path that leads to a colorless nowhere
hoping the road is paved with witches and warlocks and all manner of magic

if their wicked wands cease
so go the white rabbits
falling into the ocean
one leaping over the other
sinking like stones
where wicked wands and white rabbits must wait
for a one-legged, orange octopus to utter, “he is happy”

the trickster mermaid
a one-legged tale

it was many stormy fathoms ago that the orange octopus sacrificed his body
to a trickster mermaid who desired winsomely wild, orange hair
he’d traded his appendages for the promise of writing success
you see, his sea creature heart stowed dreams of penning a cherished tome

overcome by the trickster mermaid’s outrageous beauty
the orange octopus agreed to give his arms over
he didn’t think he’d mind as his eight arms often tripped him up
in this blinding moment, he’d forgotten the futility of holding pens without arms
finally when some sense returned to him, all but one of his arms remained
and the manic mollusc began shedding salty tears

being more partial to pepper, the trickster mermaid was unfazed until
she caught sight of her gorgeously curving tendrils
then a tiny pearl of mercy did she reveal
and the trickster mermaid allowed the orange octopus to keep one arm
(it was slightly shorter than the others anyway)

infatuated with her own outrageous beauty
the trickster mermaid watched her new curves sway as her head moved
she spoke aloud all the while staring at her reflection,
“my dear slimy sea thing, the day wicked wands and white rabbits sink to the bottom of the ocean
your arms will regenerate and your penned words will be heard”

the orange octopus halted his hysteria and quickly replied, “but my wish was for writing success”
still entranced with herself, the trickster mermaid parlayed,
“ah my dear, one-legged sea sucker, not even I can promise success”
she cackled viciously while observing how her hair swayed

then the trickster mermaid grew bored of the sobbing mollusc,
she left the distraught one-legged orange octopus with this,
“my dear, one-legged water waste, wicked wands and white rabbits
do not exist” she cackled once more then vanished into the deep blue forever

within his dour and damaged heart the one-legged orange octopus held out krill-sized hope
for wicked wands and white rabbits to one day appear
now all he needed to do was write

Mermaid Girl

obviously this mermaid is not the trickster mermaid, this little lady has a kind heart;)