One* discovered love affair
Two  blue- black eyes
Three  antique vases crashing
Four  uncovered lies
Four  Children huddle, scared, plus one*  trapped in the womb
Six  hours of shouting—will it end soon?
Seven  horrifying sleepless nights
Eight  hours worried at school about inevitable fights
Nine  attempts to pick the bedroom lock
Successful, she sees her mother bloodied and in shock
Ten the age when she learned not to trust men
Would you like to count again?

A man in a tailored suit
A man eating rotten fruit
One divorced three wives
Two contrasting lives

One is a lawyer
The other a beggar
I’m sure you think of the two of them,
One is a hundred times better

He’s in fine garments
The other’s worn and tattered
One’s dreams came true
The other one’s shattered

But none of that matters—why?
How ‘bout you ask us, the maggot and the fly
Because in the end —and we say this without shame
A vagrant and a lawyer in death both taste the same

Tail of a sea serpent, bust of a maiden
Lamentably for you, boy, this ocean’s heavy laden
With angelic voices and charming faces
You’ll believe you’re in God’s good graces

Eyes, lips, *******, and hair
Every part of me was created to ensnare
An unsuspecting sailor boy
My womanly wiles I shall employ

For my sisters hunger
And our bodies you desire
I play a tune on my golden lyre

My enchanting voice draws you in
I’ll exploit your want of carnal sin
Sea salt perfumes my flowing hair
Gently, I smile as you stare

Serpent tail and mermaid hair
This sailor boy craves a deadly maiden fair
You promise yourself, “Just one kiss”
I’ll drag you down into the deep abyss

The moment when your eyes meet mine
I know upon your flesh I’ll dine