Incestuous,
insufferable,
impulsive,
ignoramuses.
Females, kernels of life, love,
sustenance for frame and aether,
shamefully and with intention
objectified, defiled, restrained.
Gods, my ass.
Libidinous brutes
who have their uses;
yet mostly chaff.
image: Persephone and Demeter by HillyMinne
Sarah is today’s host of dVerse’ Poetics. Sarah says:
Tonight I’d like you to take inspiration from this myth [of Persephone.] I’ve tried to keep my retelling as minimal as possible to give you space to use your imagination. Give me a poem that bubbles up from this mixed up family saga, a poem that smells of spring, or is touched by the dark fingers of the lord of the dead.
Tao Talk 
I love how direct and disgusted this narrator is with the Gods. So sharp and powerful!
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Methinks this narrator is debunking the myth that they are gods. Thank you, Jewish Young Professional.
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That definitely comes through!
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This is incredibly potent, Lisa! You give voice to the atrocities against womenfolk throughout Greek mythology 💝💝
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Sanaa, THANK YOU. Exactly what I was going for.
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You’re most welcome! 🙂
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LOVE it! The attitude that comes through is priceless….absolute disdain for the male species…so well writ! Me thinks we came away from the Persephone myth with somewhat the same attitude!
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Methinks methinks should be wethinks 😉
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I absolutely LOVE this!!
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Thank you, Dale!
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🙂
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“kernels of life” – love it. I thought this was Demeter herself, raging at the gods.
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Could be, Sarah!!!!!!! It would be fitting.
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I love that this reads as dialogue. I feel like Persephone is speaking right to me. Very punchy – great poem.
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‘shamefully and with intention
objectified, defiled, restrained.’
– isn’t that always the way with women in ancient writings? I love how you played with this idea, especially the final stanza. They may call themselves gods, but ‘Libidinous brutes’ is closer to the mark, I think.
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❤ Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Ingrid. Indeed.
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Beautifully stirring, Lisa. It’s so strong how you communicate the disgust for these gods and their treatment of women (such as with Persephone). I forget which version I read, but I once had an assignment in high school to continue the retelling and I made her practically have Stockholm Syndrome since that was the only way I could ever imagine someone loving Hades in ANY capacity.
But I digress. This is a very powerful piece and I chuckled a little at the final stanza for how well it rhymed and its bluntness:
“Gods, my ass.
Libidinous brutes
who have their uses;
yet mostly chaff.”
They act more like brutes than gods, indeed.
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Thanks, Lucy. The whole system of patriarchy ordained by a deity is a flim-flam.
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WOW! Feel better? I have a feeling that last tanza was absolutely cathaartic!!
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The emperor has no f*cking clothes on. Yes I do 🙂
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Powerful and funny–a great combination! That final stanza is great. 😀
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LOL Happy you were amused by it, Merril 🙂
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You’re welcome! 😀
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Hah. Preach it, sister.
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Smiling, pleased by your comment 🙂
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You have dug the dagger in deep on this one Lisa. I don’t think I want to ever be on your bad side!
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Don’t ever try to Hades me and it won’t be a problem, Dwight 😉
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Ha ha… I guess we will be fine then!
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🙂
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Atta girl! I just love what you have done here, Li! The spade needed to be called a shovel!
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Thank you very much for your comment, Punam ❤
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My absolute pleasure. 🙂
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I’m so with you on this, Lisa. Spot on & well penned!
❤
David
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Thank you very much for your support, David.
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I love the dialogue here. I really feel Persephone talking straight to the reader. Very punchy – great poem.
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Darius, thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated!
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Thank you, Darius. Sorry for the late reply, I just found your comment in my spam folder.
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Oh yes. (K)
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❤
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Personally I like the use of “i” in the first verse…not easy to do and keep the rhythm which you did.
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Max, I appreciate your feedback on that. Glad you connected with the poem. Thank you.
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The age old story. Women were and still are, to some degree, possessions of the “libidinous brutes”. I love that description Lisa 🤣
The last line was a zinger 👍💕
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Thank you, Christine, and I’m both glad and sad you understand. It doesn’t have to be this way if the brutes would be held accountable when they try their b.s.
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Ummm, Andrew Cuomo?? I’m so disappointed in him but this bs has to stop. Men, ego and power …. A dangerous cocktail in the workplace. 😡
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Strength and Survival
Leave that chaff to the wind.
Find truth in the seed that remains.
Remember that strength
in the seasons that follow,
good or bad, as you stand tall.
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❤ Thank you, my friend.
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Love you take sides with a woman’s stake in life. Ever the plaything to men’s idiosyncrasies and impatience much within the four walls rarely known in public unless blown wide open! Strong write Jade!
Hank
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Hank, thank you very much for your kind and sensitive comment. I appreciate educated and supportive males like yourself 🙂
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Atta girl.
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Thanks!
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ooh woman in power here Lisa🤣
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She ain’t nobody’s b, that’s for sure 😉
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Well heck, yes! You told it like it is. And didn’t sugar coat. Lovely. And the image you included. Yes! Totally approve to represent the difference in these two. See how little Persephone is holding back on expressing what she really feels? All to please the mother.
Imagine if this narrator had been there, in that picture, telling the mother off AND addressing the men who lorded at their whim. The picture would look different then. Those Greeks– geniuses in their own right. Even today we keep mentioning them in conversations and discussions like this one. Geniuses!
Thanks for sharing. Stay cool…
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Selma, thank you for your thoughtful comment. Much appreciated!
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A pleasure.
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I see the story the same way, as yet another domination in which the victim is twice prosecuted.
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Good way of putting it, Sean. And the sentence never ends…
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Bravo! Well said!
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Thanks, Kate.
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Our minds and message were in parallel tracks this time, but as always, I need more verbosity to secure the message.
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Yes they were and please use as much verbosity as you need 🙂
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left me chuckling, Ms. Lisa. A clever take on these gods!
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LOL I’m smiling to think of you chuckling 🙂 Thank you.
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you’re welcome, Ms. Lisa!
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