ORPHEUS and EURYDICE

O. Hear my rendering of an oft-told tale

(mixed with a leavening of Bullfinch)

Composed in view of Orpheus’

Lyre in the Cosmos.

Orpheus, son of Apollo and Calliope

(I forget Eurydice’s heritage)

Was to be blessed by Hymen.

–

He brought no happy omens.

His torch smoked, drew tears.

Flowers wilted,

Gods and Goddesses coughed and sputtered.

–

Orpheus, master of the lyre,

Whose notes melted tiger’s hearts

Made trees uproot and creep near,

Rocks to soften-

Loved his Eurydice.

But Fate conspired with happiness.

–

Eurydice, chased by Aristaeus

Was raped.

She died a broken, bloody death

On the end of Aristaeus’…. sword.

–

Fast did Orpheus descend to those Stygian depths!

His tones pleaded for the return of Eurydice.

–

Sisyphus sat on his rock to listen,

Ixion’s wheel stood still

The Furies eyes now wet with tears.

Ah! The Underworld turned upside down.

–

Eurydice came,

Garbed in her winding shroud,

fresh with young death.

–

Here’s the deal. Walk out of Hell

And don’t look back.

–

Orpheus! You almost made it!

Eurydice, twice dead, disappears.

–

Sometimes,

In both love and death-

It only takes one glance.

Jane Kohut-Bartels

Copyrighted, 2023

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