#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Mermaid of Shells, Longboat Key

This morning I head south down the beach, and this is fortunate, because the mermaid lives in this direction. I see her on my way back after turning around. There is a condominium complex near where she rests in the sand, and nearby, some other spontaneous beach art. She is stunning, and like the dolphins of yesterday morning, she is a refreshing, whimsical morning charm to remember, to feel inspired by all day. I’m working on this idea, this collection of poems, about natural easels: snow, ice, cave walls, rocks, and how we spontaneously want to communicate through drawing or making pictures and symbols. I didn’t make her, but I made a picture of her and shared it today and so many Instagram viewers responded to her. Mermaid, mythical creature, archetypal figure of the sea coming onto land; she belongs to all of us, and thanks to the artist who conceived of her on this beach, she reaches us with her whimsy and inspiration. Synchronistically - fantastically - in my How Pictures Heal Course, I find, today, that one of the participants has written in response to an unrelated prompt these words: the little mermaid will grow legs.

Longboat Key