This is the first poem I can remember, it came in a story book with a wonderful coloured plate of a little girl I thought was me..

Mermaids

When I'm alone beside the sea,

The mermaids come quite close to me.

They toss their silver shining curls

And whisper 'We are water girls'

We have a Queen who sits alone

Upon a pearl and coral throne

Oh won't you leave your rocky shelf

And come and see her for yourself?'

But if I come deep down, down deep,

I asked 'wherever would I sleep?'

A tiny mermaid tossed her head

And answered 'in the oyster bed!'

'Then I'll not stay' I cried and they

All turned to waves and raced away.....

I'm sure I've missed out some of it and probably misremembered, but it was a beautiful blustery day on the beach today and I thought of it whilst the mermaids were having fun in the waves...