a young boy sat on the dock

fishing pole in hand

gazing at the water

dreaming of catching a mermaid

a young girl came beside him

smiling she asked his name

“Robert” he replied

she was very pretty

many years since passed

Robert never saw her again

he never married

he grew old

Robert sat alone on the dock

fishing pole in hand

staring at the water

dreaming of that young girl

nobody came to join him

the fish were not biting

no mermaid to be found

veiled in sadness

wishing that he could go back

to being that young boy

and meeting his girl again

his eyes closed

Robert fell into the water

gasping his last breath

he surrendered to the deep

it was easy to let go

he woke up coughing

a beautiful lady kneeling beside him

she smiled and said “hello Robert”

he could see the young girl in her face

Robert married his rescuer

they sit together on the dock every day

holding hands and smiling

Robert had finally caught his mermaid