My mermaid is blue as the channels she swims in
Just now she’s asleep on the mother-of-pearl
And on the ocean I create for her
She can visit the superb grottoes of the Ludicrous Islands
Where some very silly birds
Chat to crocodiles who never leave off
And the very silly birds fly over the blue mermaid
The crocodiles turn back to their drinking
And the island never comes back
never comes back from where it is
where my mermaid and I have forgotten it
My mermaid has beautiful stars in her sky
Blonde stars with black eyes
Redhead stars with shining teeth
and brunette stars with lovely breasts
Every night three by three
alternating their hair colour
These stars call on my mermaid
Which makes a lot of coming and going in the sky
But my mermaid’s sky is no ordinary sky
My mermaid has seven boats on her ocean
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Saturday and Sunday
Some steamboats some sailing-boats
Some fast some slow
But all beautiful and delightful
with sailors who know their business
My mermaid has soaps of every shape and colour
To wash her pretty skin
My mermaid has so many soaps
One for her hands
Another for her feet
One for yesterday
One for today
One for each eye
And that one for her fish-tail
That one for her hair
Another for her belly
Another for her loins
My mermaid sings only for me
No use telling my friends to listen
No-one ever hears her
Except only one
But though he seems sincere
I mistrust him as he may be a liar.