Mermaid Bar

There was no moon, black sky on the night
I jumped from the bridge toward the river
I swear, I saw silver starlight
On the water's surface, a shimmer
Pounded the pulse, I couldn't finish
Didn't hear a splash or feel the cold
Was full of bubbles for a minute
Turned to ice, then cycloid scales of gold
Turned to ice, then cycloid scales of gold

My lungs deflated, my fingers weaved
Ribs separated for gills to breathe
Ran my tongue over my sharp, new teeth
Panicked, swimming, collapsed in the reeds
Taken with the current to the sea
Tied disrupting desperate dreams
My belly empty, body weak
I had no sound, no way to speak
I had no sound, no way to speak

I was close to quiet death again
When new instincts woke me from the spell
I killed a diamondback terrapin
Was most scared of my awful self
I woke up on cold stones, broken glass
Winter beach at Long Island's end
I found that I could still maneuver
Slip slide on the sand and the cement
Slip slide on the sand and the cement

I opened sardine dream mermaid bar
We served most oysters and caviar
Leave your seashells in our tall tip jar
There are more like me, I swear there are
Come for scallops, come to hear our song
Come if you're in awful, bad trouble
Come if you're certain you don't belong

Some that fall don't land in bubbles
'Cause some that fall don't land in bubbles (bubbles)
Some that fall don't land in bubbles
Some that fall don't land in bubbles (bubbles)
Some that fall don't land in bubbles