Silkie Bride

My new mother was born through a mouth
In the seal neck my father cut
He dug in and scooped her out
'Here,' he said
'Here is your mother to play with'

The pelt went on the fire
to spit
and crack
and dance

It's hard to play with a screaming woman

My father handed me a fish bone comb
To brush that nonsense from her hair
The teeth broke on her wet weeds
But my singing seemed to sooth her

She'll settle in and learn to stoke the fire
and gut the fish
and mend the nets
and bring water from the stream

But she'll never play with me.