Trust No Man From The Land

Trust No Man from the Land

This poem is inspired by the mythological creature called Selkies. Fun Facts blog are right below.

Note from me: this poem/musical score is lyrically dark and can be triggering to some. Reader discretion is advised.

I travelled across the lands and seas

But have never met an instance such as this.

A sad tale to be told to those who are willing to hear

About a Selkie who sold her fins.

She longed for the waves to take her

And swim in the ocean once again.

Feel the cold water on her scales

And sing the songs with the whales.

But she met a man with so much promise

And she gave her heart to him.

Soon she was filled with regret

Since he had gleefully peeled her skin.

He took her pride, soul, and body.

Then stored her in a locker for money.

Took everything she had.

Sold her hide for gold.

When she no longer had anything to give,

To the ocean where she dove.

But the Heavens must have been watching,

And swore vengeance for her soul.

Tripped on the rope, he did!

And down to the seas, he went.

Little he knew that their Selkie children were born

And ravenous they were!

Their mother’s grief was not forgotten

So, they feasted and feasted

Until his bones went rotten.

My dear Selkies,

Please learn from this tale

And trust no man from the land.

They will steal your hide and scales

And perish you shall

Like your mother who traded

Her fins for a man.

***Fin***

P.S. Fun facts are right below

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Hi, I'm CyCy!

Thank you for reading. I truly appreciate it!

This poem/musical score came to me last night after reading about Selkies before bed. But you know how that goes! The muses will sing whenever they feel like it.

Anyway, maybe one day, I will have enough to compile into a book.

What is a Selkie?

Selkies are mythical creatures that are found in the folklore of various cultures. They can shift between the forms of seals and humans by donning or removing their seal skin.

They hold a significant place in oral traditions and mythology, particularly within Celtic and Norse origins. The term "selkie" originates from the Scots word for "seal" and is sometimes spelled as silkies, sylkies, or selchies.

Selkies are also known as selkie folk or "seal folk." Primarily associated with the Northern Isles of Scotland. They are believed to dwell as seals in the sea but can transform into human beings on land by discarding their skin.

The Nature of Selkies

Selkies exhibit a dual nature. They can be friendly or helpful toward humans. But they are also potentially dangerous and vengeful.

When in human form, selkies are often portrayed as alluring and captivating. Many tales revolve around selkies engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with humans, sometimes resulting in the birth of children.

Oftentimes, selkies are coerced or deceived into marrying humans, typically through the theft and concealment of their seal skin, thus preventing them from returning to the sea.

Such unions often bear an air of unhappiness, as selkies constantly yearn for the ocean and may ultimately escape if they locate their stolen skin.

The Folk Tales:

In a typical folk tale, a man steals the skin of a female selkie upon discovering her naked on the seashore. Then he forces her to become his wife.

Despite living in captivity, the wife yearns for the sea, her true home, and is often seen gazing longingly at the ocean. She may bear several children with her human husband, but once she recovers her lost skin, she immediately returns to the sea and will abandon the children she once loved.

Sometimes, one of her children will discover or know the whereabouts of the stolen skin. In certain variations, she may have a previous husband of her own kind.

Some children's versions depict the selkie revisiting her land-based family once a year. However, the typical folktale describes her as never being seen by them again.

Male selkies are described as exceptionally handsome in their human form and they possess a strong power of seduction over human women. They tend to seek out individuals who are dissatisfied with their lives, such as married women awaiting the return of their fishermen husbands.

Lastly, the children born from the union between humans and seal-folk may display certain physical characteristics such as webbed feet and hands.

In conclusion

These tales usually remind us of the cruelty of humans.

Although these mythological creatures are usually portrayed as dangerous monsters, most of the time, humans were harmed because humans decided to exploit them.

Hopefully one day, humans will learn to be more respectful to those around them.

Shout out to one of my faves, Phoebus Apollo 🖤

Thanks for singing these poems, guiding me with composing music, and showing me different types of art.

A true bestie here. xo

Anyway, come check out my other surreal poem(s) as well:

• I Heard You Calling My Name

• The Problem with Immortality

And my most recent ones: Holier Than Thou, Oh, Cthulhu! & Music To My Ears.

• Holier Than Thou

• Oh, Cthulhu!

• Music To My Ears

Thank you for being a part of my journey and life. I truly appreciate you all!

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