Sarah, January 1998
Here is the story told many times,
the tale of the maiden, Persephone,
her mother, and the sudden
disappearance of that sweet child
into the deep embrace of Hades.Mother of all, Demeter, wise
and fruitful became distraught.
She tore her robes, the young
apple trees growing on the hill,
pulled out her long and shining hair,
the wheat blowing in the fields.
She screamed, and fainted and despaired.Demeter alone among the Great Ones,
did not know where her daughter
held sway in a kingdom of her own.Demeter wandered, ashen, crazed.
She took a turn at caring
for another woman's child
until that mother observed
her nursemaid dipping the babe
into the fires of immortality.
Screaming, the mortal queen
drove our Great Mother
from her hearth,
only to be crushed
by the sight of the Goddess,
taller than any oak tree
rising up from the rags
of her disguise.Demeter's distress
beat upon the earth.
She who made all in joy,
in sorrow, left all to die.Meanwhile beneath
the very breast
of the mother who
wept for her,
Persephone learned
the ways of the dark kingdom.
Hades, ruler of the underworld,
she knew as husband and lord.Was Persephone maiden or queen?
The ruby seeds from her Mother's
fruit, each dark jewel
a moon within as she slipped
seven between her sweet lips,
was it promise or sentence
to her husband's realm?At last the cruel hoax was halted.
Persephone was wrapped
in the loving arms of her mother.
All was set right
and our earth rejoiced
with the maiden's return.
But Persephone wanders
here and there
apple blossoms in her hair
pomegranate in her heart.
Copyright 1998, Sarah
Updated: 1.Jan.98