DE OVERVAAREN DAAGLIJKSCH

There once was a prince,
as kind as can be,
who often went sitting
'neath a green willow tree,
by a dark pool
with cool water
that led out to the sea.

And one day as he sat
(with his thoughts & his book)
he heard a soft voice,
which at first he mistook
 "are you KING of the LAND?"
for a gurgle of water
from a dim distant brook.

 "One day!" said the prince,
(who felt a blush rise
at the maid's damp white skin
and the wet black of her eyes)

So he spoke of his castle,
(it's bright spires! its size!)
while she smiled & she laughed,
and the prince did likewise.

 "You'd love MY home too!"
Suggested the maid,
who spoke of dark caverns
and ruined colonnades,
"jellied fish dripping limbs
pearls glinting like beads,
rich gardens of coral
shot through with seaweed"
(Though as the prince listened
he grew quite afraid
of this bleak ocean world
'neath his green forest glade.)

But their meeting was tragic,
for how could they share
their two worlds together?
for the prince needed air!
& the maiden the water!
"O my lady most fair,
On my heart & my bones I'll solve this:
I SWEAR.
And we'll soon be together,
my love, don't despair!"

So he returned to his castle
& started to plan
(with his heart in his throat,
& his chin in his hands)
for a way
ANY WAY
to unite their two lands.

When he returned to the willow
he was in fine cheer!
He'd build a great moat,
& that moat would reach here!
And the maid from the sea
would forever be near
(to his castle, his heart
& all else he held dear) 

But the prince had an uncle
who wanted the throne,

who found him

and drowned him

and the prince died alone. 

"O my KING O my PRINCE
Is it true what I see?
Have you given up air
out of love for me?

& these are the parts
that you swore on 
so gentle and
so selflessly 
You're just as kind
& as fair, my love,
as I ALWAYS knew you
would be!"

There once was a prince,
as cold as can be,
who lay very still,
& whose eyes stared blankly
through dark & cool waters,
deep
DEEP
under the sea.


EMCarrol