I am a mermaid and life
affects me gravely.
It imprints its events into me
like epitaphs on a gravestone.
I lift– rub– these words from my skin
and put them on paper.
As if they need any more documentation.
It’s not fun and I don’t do it because
the crowd calls my name.
None exists.
I do it so my body odor will
remember me long after I am gone.
And it can tell its children about
the female creature it once knew.
Everyone said she was too young to die,
But no one ever said too pretty.
So thank you.