The Reunion Of The Marriage Bed.

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ice
Member Elite

since 2003-05-17

Posts 3404
Pennsylvania

0 posted 2011-07-21 10:43 PM

"The Siren",by John W. Waterhouse 1900

For this, this beauty most;
Every Paris strained to see, yet only one
Could make her leave her Menelaus-
Leave away and go with him
To Troy or Denver;

By wooden horse-filled slow approach
With just one man aboard, a man like those before
Who came to siege the beauty queen...a lovely being
Posed as bride, to an angry Spartan king.

(Out of the mist, a low voice called.. abate!)

His ears pricked, but he refused to listen;
An inner crew had  braced their backs to task-
Rose and dipped the oars, his mind-ship-
Put to sea by timed, seductive beats
That only vamps and Goddess can drum.

He waxed his ears, but still felt vibration
From a heart that seemed to throb inside his groin;
The ship sailed on, through stormy days of lust
And all the thrusting steps he danced
Were to the music of his sirens song;

(Returning home to Penelope)

The boat that sailed through time and air
Returned to land near-where the anchor post
Made fast her many suitor challenged bed.
The olive tree stood upright, still straight--
Because the all of courter strengths,
Could not pull its roots from rocks and clay.

(But for a while the weeds in space
outside the gate remained.)

The wanderer began to till neglected fields
That dressed the slopes around his psychic home-
Sowing them with salt of sorrow tears;
Poorly matched, he used an ox and ass-
Of thoughts...the bull fought hard against its yoke
The mule, in hames strayed back and forth
Across the furrows-sanity was hard to gain
'til penny held a fruit out in her hand.

(His sorrow put the rows back straight again.)

He couldn't comprehend  what he had done,
Which happens when a partner acts the fool.
Their union could have met its final end,
But his mortal lady beckoned at the door
Behind which hid the secret of her faith;

Steadfast stood the tree that made a post,
Its roots in earth held fast their wedding bed.

The fruits of love, in straightened lines
Grew tall outside the garden gate,
And flowers overtook the weeds that grew
From seeds of tears--

Forgiveness buffed away the salt.

***************************************************
Nothing changes, this poem was written with some modern updates, of the original theme..but forgiveness for affairs are timeless..inspired by this, and other parts of "The Odyssey"

(from "The Odyssey"
"We walked through a grove of olive trees so old their tortured trunks were thicker than a bull, and found ourselves in a walled area containing more bare soil than it did fruit trees. At which moment we saw Odysseus.  He was furrowing the ground with the oddest team I have ever seen hitched to a plough -an ox and a mule. They hauled and jerked in opposite directions, the plough heaved and went sideways.
Babbling senselessly to himself, laughing insanely, Odysseus ploughed and sowed his salt. "

Lori Grosser Rhoden
Member Patricius

since 2009-10-10

Posts 10202
Fair to middlin' of nowhere

1 posted 2011-07-21 10:58 PM

WOW!
Lori

ice
Member Elite

since 2003-05-17

Posts 3404
Pennsylvania

2 posted 2011-07-22 05:53 AM

Thank you, Lori
That is the best reply that a poet could hope for ;-)

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

3 posted 2011-07-22 09:55 AM

Ford...I'm amazed by this...thank you.

ice
Member Elite

since 2003-05-17

Posts 3404
Pennsylvania

4 posted 2011-07-22 01:21 PM

Martie...
and just as well, high on the scale of appreciative phrasing, is the word "amazing" in a reply.
Thank You

ebonygirl
Member Elite

since 2011-07-14

Posts 2000
California U.S.A

5 posted 2011-07-22 04:15 PM

I could feel the drumming in my heart.
Nicely written,
Ebonygirl

Michael

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-13

Posts 7666
California

6 posted 2011-07-22 06:23 PM

Words of inspiration and hope... well painted, my friend.

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

7 posted 2011-07-22 09:29 PM

Ford, I read this at work a few days ago, and am just now getting back to you to say,

Thanks. You know I love period pieces, and you did this one proud.

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

8 posted 2011-07-22 09:50 PM

I sadly admit that I, even at thiss late date n my life, have not read "The Odyssey." I have it "saved" to read, but never seem to have the time to get to it. I think I am going to make time, that and "Faust," have saved also.

As I was reading the piece, Ice, I was confused a few times, but you explanation at the end, and where the idea came from, helped me when I reread it.

You did good.

~ Eggs and bacon, honeymoon style / What's honeymoon style? / Straight up and hard. ~

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