Siren Sighting - Scotland 1883 (Poetry)

We fished that summer off the Isle
of Yell — ’twas late July
the sea a mirror — flattened calm
and cloudless stretched the sky

The six of us in our own thoughts
each did our share of work
and little spoke of this or that
not one was prone to shirk

Time came we drew the trawl lines in
the catch was full and green
all heads and tails that squirmed about
scales fell like rain between

Then one amongst us spied a face
and shouted loud surprise
as some half-human hissed and glared
with wide and fearful eyes

We rushed to empty on the deck
the swirling, heaving mess
and there she lay — some creature who
recoiled in such distress

While no one moved — we simply gawped
and doubted what we saw
it seemed so unbelieveable
transfixed we stood in awe

She spied her chance and slithered fast
across the sea-soaked planks
then with a heave flipped overboard
and in an eye-blink sank

We are but six plain fishermen
whose story had no proof
except that each in his own way
described it as the truth

We caught a mermaid on that day
but never meant her harm
so let her go without a word
to further her alarm

’Twas but an instant in out lives
but memory stays long
the image clear — her features strange
as superstition’s strong

Our skipper told this story to
an educated man
who noted down the incident —
its nature and short span

Deciding that on balance since
we all witnessed the same
a mistake was ‘quite impossible’
thus accepting our rare claim

Now we fish the Shetland’s waters
with a sharp eye on the net
for another tangled creature
but we haven’t snagged one yet

While faint echoes rise like singing
from the chill green depths below
we all swear that should it happen
once again we’ll let her go