Sad Stephen Song

And there were mermaids --weren't there?--

Sweet silver mermaids

All through that grey Trafalgar Square

Such silver mermaids

They were young, and they were fair

They brushed their bronze and dusky hair

And whispered, "Come, Sad Stephen, come, and play here"

"You will love, you will be loved

You will grow up, and do so much

You will be strong, you be sung

By all the mermaids. Silver mermaids..."

And once they'd sung their satin song

They beckoned to me from the fog --

They spread their arms and lifted

Pale-portraid faces... I was taken

To their coral-cavern halls,

To rooms with oyster shells for walls,

To sandy nooks, and pearly book, and ivory dolls...

In ivory stalls, in ivory stalls...

And there were mermaids --weren't there?--

Swet silver mermaids

All through that wan, forgotten square,

Silver mermaids

They were young, and they were fair

They brushed their bronze and dusky hair

And whispered, "Come, Sad Stephen, come"

And I was taken

Was I wrong? Should I have run?

I wanted all, I wanted young

And portrait faces... I was taken

Did I love? I didn't care

Did I grow up? Well unaware

And I was strong? And I was sung?

How do I haunt Trafalgar fog

And find I want so much, still want --

And no more mermaids

No more mermaids...