clear winter days
when the wind blows offshore
the wind dusts the spray
from the tops of the waves
and the dust drifts away
past the singing mermaids
who comb the white hair
of the green-headed waves
in the manner that prufrock had noticed

but from behind the wave
as you watch from the water
just as the wave crests
its crest gently flutters
and flutters away
trailing a rainbow
a rainbow
remains
she reigns
for a moment
then falls in a shower
each droplet a prism
each prism a power
diffracting the sunlight
the light’s layered colour
fans out like the tail of a peacock