Once upon the ocean floor, I sat, waiting for my prince, my prince to be home from war.
Whilst sitting and washing my scales,
on the door there came a splatting, and then the sound, the sound of rapping.
I assume, a fish, splatting, splatting like the sound of whales.
“Go away, creature, whose splatting like the sound of whales.”
     I said, as I washed my tail.

Still, the splatting went on, that irritating noise until dawn.
I opened the door and it swam in and past my tail.
The little clownfish with its striped scales, swinging his fins and flailing his tail.
I asked the name, but no answer came.
The fish seemed tame, and again I asked the name.
     An answer came, “Wait some more.”

Aggravated I became, for this was not a real name.
“When will he return?” I asked, and he answered, too fast, “Wait some more.”
“How long must I wait, before death decides his fate?”
I asked as I sat on the floor.
but that same answer as before, “Wait some more.”
     And I wanted to roar.

“Clairvoyant!” exclaimed I, “creature of the wicked-clairvoyant still, if fish or shark!-
Whether Ursula sent, or whether Poseidon delivered thy dreadful presence,
Incautious yet undisturbed, in this bottomless sea of the unheard-
In this cave by Loneliness haunted- relinquish thy answer- I implore-
Is there-is there a prince in this sea?-apprise me- apprise me, I implore!
     Quoth the Clownfish, “Wait some more.”