The Sylph

Shalerock Falls, 1977


I could barely see it in the mist and spray
as it sailed in a leisurely circle around the whirlpool
on soft grey batlike wings
barely roiling the mist.

I rubbed my eyes, and looked around.
nobody else saw it.

I tried to get closer, but the rocks were slippery
and my sister had a worried look
so, frustrated, I found a dry spot, and watched the whirlpool,
while being bathed in the mist of the waterfall above.

It took a while, maybe an hour, but I saw it again
delicately circling
and I heard it's voice, soft and deep
and it sang in continuous notes, only gradually rising and falling
in sympathy with the sound of the waterfall

The gray, frail bat wings that bore it
dripped mist as it circled, like fine sprays of morning rain
and it's song seemed to vibrate in my chest, so low and soft it was
and I felt it's joy in simply being, it's pleasure carried by it's deep soft voice
and I felt my heart slow, my breathing ease, and my anger at life,
just for a moment,
recede.

I began to cry softly with the beauty of it,
and as the first tear dripped from my cheek,
it looked at me, and hovered in place briefly.
It changed it's song to one of fear and shock,
like a startled yelp
and I felt it look at me as tho I was a strange creature,
the likes of which it had never seen
and I felt it want to flee,
and I knew it could not, for it was as tied to that mist
as a cornstalk is tied to the earth

There were many other people present,
but it saw only me, and only I saw it.
But I terrified it, and i had no desire to cause it distress
so I moved away
and whatever it was that connected us was broken
and I knew my life had changed forever
and wondered if it's had, too.