Hades Lair

A poem relating a daredevil's perilous voyage into the ancient Greek underworld, Hades

Far off beneath the muck and mare

I staked a dare to Hades lair.

Into the hollow did I burrow

Till the darkness draped me thorough.

Nether I went without relent

Till I received my deadly decent.

Roused on a bed of skulls and bones

I stranded lone an abyss shore

Yet as the shadows sprang to life

The most dreaded sight came to light:

Spirits of long-lost kings and queens

Loitering gloomly with no heed.

Cerberus roars with stately stance

Lancing the morbid at his prance.

Charon rows the Styx of hate,

Ferrying spirits to their fate.

Haunts of obsidian ablaze

Jewel engraved and ghostly swathed.

Rubies and jade conceal the skies

Mirrored on golden trees and mines.

Attired in glam and gloom entwined,

A Sheol low the vale contrived.

How ruthless was its reek of death

Foreborn to reap my blighted breath.

Terrorised I tore to and fro,

Ere long saw death had sealed my woe.

Its basilisks writhed round my spine

And by their fangs my soul imbibed.

Thereon a beam the darkness bored

So bright my eyes beheld no more.

Dazed, I woke low the dawning sky

Amidst the living reconciled.

I mused the grave my hands had mined

And the dwellers my mind devised.

Yet when I stared down the hollow

Their lament confirmed my inmost sorrow.

I staked a dare to Hades lair

And such a curse do I now bear.

Reviews

[emipoemi]

This is an eerie and powerful piece. I much enjoyed the story it told, and the images were strong and there were quite a number of juicy lines. Particularly towards the beginning, and towards the end, however, there were a few lines that stumbled on the musicality, and thus marred the smooth flow of the piece. With a little tweaking of that, this has potential of becoming a gem. For it is indeed quite well thought-out, and carefully crafted in its narrative and imagery (and ancient Greek mythology is cool!). It's just the musicality that needs a bit of work. Well done!!