NaPoWriMo #20: Owl and Mermaid

Owl passing o'er waves
Spied Mermaid laying in a cove.
Fins glistened like wet seaweed,
Hair as sweet and black as clove.

Owl fell in love with Mermaid.
When she swam for open sea,
Owl followed on the salt breeze,
Screeching love so earnestly.

Mermaid dove under the dark waves.
Owl circled from above.
Though he could not enter her world,
Still he crooned his songs of love.

Wings gave way, and Owl dropped.
Mermaid's head broke the surface.
As he fell, her arms reached out.
She cradled Owl to her chest.

Though parted by the sky and sea,
They kept a love that could not be.

Always Owl stayed near Mermaid,
Flew the ocean, hunted fish.
Mermaid caught him when he wearied.
Both together were at peace.

Until one day a gale seized Owl,
Blew him far from Mermaid's side.
Feathers torn, he cried for Mermaid,
Sinking into salt-filled tide.

Mermaid wept and searched for Owl
All throughout the ocean grim.
Then one night the ghost of Owl
Came to Mermaid in her dream.

He spoke to her of the dark water
Where his broken body lay.
Mermaid swam but could not find it.
Fish had gnawed his bones away.

In the sand lay one black feather.
Mermaid wore it in her hair.
Worlds united, Owl's spirit
Followed Mermaid everywhere.

Though parted now by death and life,
They kept their love against all strife.

--April 20, 2013
Prompt: Choose 5 words from a list and write a poem with them.  I chose: Owl, Clove, Seaweed, Salt, and Ghost