This Poem was Submitted By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2009-07-09 09:18:03 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

To Listen to Music While Reading this Poem, just Click Here!

Click Here To add this poem to your "Voting Possibilities" list!


The unpunished

Orpheus was handed loaded dice, perhaps he knew, the passport to and from the underworld, that other  demanding land. Who cared about Eurydice? Dead  necessarily to die the twice, not tragic even the first time save only for him. From the customs gate she called him and who knows better the rule of death than the dead, who better knows the living’s open heel? Yet, her voice a javelin, she called and struck her mark, felled and spilled his papers, printed with the eyes of the snake. These things I have heard through the scribe of the grave interrogator, whose every interim report screams some head must roll. But Eurydice was never implicated in Orpheus’s end. And anyway,  already dead, she could not gainfully  be hanged again.

Copyright © July 2009 Mark Andrew Hislop


This Poem was Critiqued By: Terry A On Date: 2009-07-28 19:17:00
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
This is a great poem. It stands quite wonderfully on its own and enriches the myth, rather than the myth enriching the poem. I find reading myths too bare-bones-like. This poem isn't, and modernized as you have, it springs 21st century. Thanks for posting. Terry


This Poem was Critiqued By: Thomas H. Smihula On Date: 2009-07-20 10:25:03
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
Mark, Expressions voiced upon the ancients and how it might relate to ones ownselve is what I see in this poem. This requires the reader to ponder on the words and read it again to solidify the thoughts. I liked it. Thanks, Thomas
This Poem was Critiqued By: Duane J Jackson On Date: 2009-07-12 00:25:02
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Hi Mark, Excellent ! It's an honor to have you with us, posting and critiquing again. I like the play on dice and die...heel and hell...and the whole image that this scene creates. Intellectually profound. Duane,
This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2009-07-10 19:55:37
Critiquer Rating During Critique: Unknown
Mark, Nice, I just read up on Orphus..... His soul returned to the underworld, where he was re-united at last with his beloved Eurydice. Another legend places his tomb at Dion, near Pydna in Macedon. Other accounts of his death are that he killed himself from grief at the failure of his journey to Hades, I'd like to think they reunited. loaded dice-with Eurydice was clever! This poem flowed along nicely and presented an interesting tale. Well done. Glad you are writing. Dellena
Poetry Contests Online at The Poetic Link

Click HERE to return to ThePoeticLink.com Database Page!