i.
Odurate figures made of hematite, pyrite, ilmenite.

                Iron ore - found in the sun, stars, planets.

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Humans deface them, paint them, suffocate them

                under plastic, decorate them in football scarves

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and jester hats. Gulls shit on their heads.
                Nature embellishes with lichen and barnacle jewels.

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One Iron Man transitions, pink tutu softens angles,
                while prudish people avert eyes from nakedness.

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Sculpted eyes have nothing else to do but stare
                at iron-like tankers smoothing flat-sheet horizon.

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Some days, rough truffle foam waves, batter

               iron men in a stew of oystercatchers.

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Some evenings, silhouetted torsos observe

              white windmills rhythmically rotating

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before sunset under navy and orange clouds.
              In the new dawn, sunrise behind their backs,

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a containership sails slowly west, waves mesmerise,

              swooping gulls enthrall, worries swept away in sway.

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iii.
During winter hightides, Mermaids come at night.

Their long locks trailing behind them through seaweed

and sleeping shoals to wrap their tails around metal legs.

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To place hot kisses on cold lips.

To sing songs to ferric figures

in hope of metamorphosis.

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When the iron men come alive, they wake up slowly,

savouring smooches, learning to feel warmth of touch.

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They see moonbeams lighting up the seabed
and waltz under waves, spinning sea-creatures;

enchanted by their beauty, golden tresses swirling,

coral lips pouting, shimmering iridescent scales.

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Tomorrow the tanker will pass again
and they will wonder if it was all a dream.