lethe

so i won't forget

Birth at the age of eighteen
I was the infant and the placenta
Red and hollering after long years entombed.
Driven forth from the womb of the earth
From the desert rock
I came blistered and tottering.

O my twin, O Romulus
When the great wolf suckled you
You latched firmly onto her teat.
I cried and cried and refused to eat -
Became weak and hungry.
When you killed me I became you
Became your city walls and aqueducts
Became the language of your people
And the traveler who weeps.

The lover called to me from her island keep
Calling me false, which I always claimed to be.
Immolated she bemoaned an untrue lover
While I pondered the necessity of absence.
My son, I do these things for you.
Love no women because they may soon love you.
These gods are fickle and spiteful creatures
It is to man to teach them belongingness and nursery things.

Little Lamb, little lamb
Let me hide beneath your belly
Out of sight and touch and memory.  
Let the peacock find me scowling beneath the wool
I pulled over the strong one's eye.

I came at last to a land I thought I knew
Where my lover claimed to wait.
In the hollow of a tree's strong trunk I found ashes
And the place deserted, burnt
The way that lovers always are.
I am an old man and
One can never be young enough to start over.
My daughter, guide my hands my feet.
O mother, let us dissolve into the water
And mix our ashes with the wind.

Let me press forward into the river rushing.
I do not remember who I was or where I have come from
Only my feet are blistered and I am filled with longing.
I looked behind me and saw a face
One I had known.  It vanished
So I drank and drank and fell asleep
Beside the forgetful river.

When I awoke I found a hard land before me
And worlds inscribed in the flesh of my hand.

Reviews

[Emily B]

amazing

[Sara Rose]

You have a talent for words and descriptions. Very nice.

[s. lucero]

Of course, with my Greek mythology obsession, I clicked this one first. I'm glad I did. This was symbolic, symphonic, superb. I am now going to stalk all of your other ones.

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

*stunned speechless* this is surreal historical myth turned inside out by a brilliant mind ~ seriously I am just enthralled~ wow