If at times, Solanna's mind took her to the watery cave of her own childhood

with her seal mother covering 
her on the dark ledge

and the mermaids and seahorses 
talking softly among themselves,

she never spoke of it
to Red Brian or anyone

and in this way, seven years passed
and the baby grew to a fine green-eyed boy

with silky hair and his mother's way 
of looking off into the distance

and her gift for singing.