Abdullah The Fisherman Poem by Mark Heathcote

Let us breathe Abdullah underwater.
Coexisting on one last mermaid's breath
does she alone push stars into moraines
there they'll fizz ultimately to their death.

Let us swim amongst our sea anemones.
Pearl dives through the oceanic waves
till the tension builds like a barrier reef
and seahorses kiss under saltwater caves.

Like the pearl, it's self-trapped and enslaved.
Let us breathe Abdullah-like underwater-
seahorse; dance in their caves and let us saunter-
galley slaves sucked under their crested waves.

~or~

Abdullah cast your net; your kin go, hungry.
Abdullah cast your net and feed your family.
Cast-wide-you're-net, your children are hungry.
Cast your net and feed your growing family.
My net has been empty these past few days.
Abdullah cast his net and then caught Abdullah
the merman, who in his tiered weakened state
Said: Abdullah of the land, be not-afraid-tis-fate.

Let us breathe, Abdullah, brothers-underwater.
Let us coexist on one last mermaid's breath
And dive to stars in their deepest moraines
that hungry mouths would give their eyes to possess.
Let us swim, brother, amongst the sea anemones.
Pearl dives through these green oceanic waves
till-the-fears-one-has, rest on a barrier reef
Like fearless seahorses under sea saltwater caves.

We're also pearls, self-trapped and enslaved.
Let us bask, Abdullah-like freshwater-
Nymphs, hold feasts in waterfalls and let us stroll
Like dead galley slaves sucked under a crest of waves.
Abdullah of the land, bring me ripe sweet fruits
I'll shower you with jewels and gold ointments
This ointment will allow you to visit my watery lands.
Abdullah did his bidding with fruits of all assortments.

Abdullah of the sea took Abdullah of the land
To visit his kingdom where all who saw him
Laughed loudly at this man without a tail
Who now was vizier to his land-living King?
The land-living King was angry; they should laugh
And ordered Abdullah of the land not to leave
And to remain in his palace as vizier, and alas
He did his duties and ate from the King's canteens.