The Sea Heir

Once a maiden fair,
went to fetch the sea and air,
of the rolling sands long gone,
the tolls of the grass far from done

As she walked the smooth sand,
And sun rays descended upon her hand,
And the sea crooned a humble dirge,
Through which power felt was surge,
She heard the words with a voice like silk
Say to her “Come to me by heiress of thine ilk”

And from the sea, rose a man of distinction,
A man of power, of prowess, of notion, and erudition,
Young he was, as was her age or more,
With sapphire eyes and long black hair the gales tore

His body was of pure bodice, his skin of copper
His hands gentle, his lips through which laughter was fodder,
His robes woven of pure sea mist
His sandals of the finest reeds I dare sayest

“Come to me my sweet”, says he, “And I will make thee a queen among men”
“Fear not, no harm shall come to thee, for thou mine heart has stolen”
The maiden, with fair eyes and fair hair, cowered in his presence
“My lord”, she said, “It is you who is a prince in a world of peasants”
“I am merely a woman, humble and contrite”
“I have nothing to offer you, nor is face one of beautiful sight”
“I am nothing but a servant, and I want nothing more”
“Than to continue this lot, of this I am sure”

The god did not anger, nor did he grow in fury,
He merely walked to her, and in a watery flurry,
Lifted her head, to behold one who would live so lowly
And saw such conviction in her eyes of which saints deemed holy
Again he said “Come to me my sweet and I will make thee a queen among men”
“Fear not, no harm shall come to thee, for thou mine heart has stolen”

“I have heard tale of your beauty, of your conviction, and your love
From idle prattle, the talks of Heaven above
I have watched you with sense and hope
I have seen you laugh, cry, and behold
I wish to make you happy, to make you content, to make you free
I know what is in your heart, and within your soul
I wish to love you, and love you alone
You are the wisest of your people, the most humble of kings
You are trustworthy and honest, that desired for men by heavenly beings
You are the fairest in the land, the fairest maiden of them all
You I wish to make my wife, and live in gaiety, ‘til heard tell is “Christ’s Call”
You are strong in heart, in mind, body, and soul,
It is you whose conviction can make a my being a whole
Please, my love, marry me
And together we shall live happily for eternity”

And with this, she gazed into his eyes
Awed by his wonder at her, his lowly prize
“But my lord”, she said, with gentle fear,
“I am no queen, but a peasant of the queer”
“I am no noble, nor lady, nor queen, nor baer”
“I have nothing to offer you, save for what my hands can but care”

And so it was, with love firm and true,
Then they were wed, and live in bliss through and through
And just as the god said it would be
The maiden fair he made crowned his queen

And for 4 centuries that followed, their love grew,
And together, their lands prospered with such sinew;
And they were blessed many children, many indeed,
Such as thus that their youth was retained with such dexterity

And so the lovers, fair and true
Lived happily ever after, of this I speak sure