weeping willows bow in sorrow from the edges
of the land that they desperately cling to as
the mist creeps in to dress the lakes lurking
throughout these forests
traces of man are scattered across the dirt
and beneath the water forever lost to time
siren song dances with the wind and the
laughter of nymphs echoes through the trees
yet the ghosts are trapped in memories with
wooden boats stuck in watery graves
dare i disturb the peace of this lake with lonely
ripples as i sink my body into this still body
the peace returns quickly but the nymphs
are giggling and the sirens are singing
i cannot help but let the pull beneath take me
and i’m sure if they knew of this enticing place
the poets would join me to wither away
to decay in the embrace of this ethereal lake.
Sophie Marlowe
Sophie Marlowe (she/her) is a young queer Yorkshire-based writer, who dabbles in poetry, memoir, and screenwriting. She is currently studying a part-time masters degree in Creative Writing. She typically writes about reality, mental health, queerness, romance, witchcraft, folklore and mythology. This poem was inspired by haunting and ethereal photos and paintings of forests and lakes with the intention of drawing on how strangely seductive they feel.
Image by Eberhard-Grossgasteiger on Unsplash