A solitary selkie sings

A solitary selkie sings

While her precious pups play

Her throat twines her heart’s heavy tones,

But folding seas her song-spells swallow,

Winter waves wash the craggy shore,

'Twas her heart, with that hide,

Briefly, she and he did dance and dream

With fleeting fancies of a family formed

Her sea-pup sat 'stride his shoulders,

She in turn, gave word she’d wait while he

A pledge so far from her sea-folk ways,

With her heart made heavy, fearful she fled,

He sought her, such a struggled while,

Until he saw how salt tears and seas,

He turned, and learned to tread his earthly trek,

But fickle Fate sent him sorrows and showed

Soft—hear now, her heart’s own hum:

The land laughing back her lofted charms,

And lo, listening by star light,

Lingers once more, our lonely landsman,

the Selkie by James Browne*