The first chip in the axe
is in the ebony winter
fingers craving on the fresh
vein of apples,
madness, an old wine,
the tender briar
of the moon and drunk
morpheus to a shore
that never bleeds;
seduction to the red
strawberries / naked insanities
to veiled black feathers,
we’ll not wait
for the moon to commit suicide.
Have our tombs,
six months in winter,
six months in spring;
you handsome devil,
there is a dream impregnated
to drunk poetry and death of consciousness
like the bare feet of winter
killed by glass mirrors,
castanets of stone
to the cosmic breath
and bone, the tulle sandalwood
of this bride’s wrist
bound to Hades.
Written for the Free Verse Revolution prompt: pomegranate seeds.
Mainly inspired by this song.
Very much unrelated, but the Little Writing Workshop of Horrors was recently ranked #38 out of 100 on the top 100 Writing Blogs and Websites in 2020 on Feedspot.
Featured in Sunday best for FVR.
Reposted for the dVerse open link night.
86 responses to “You handsome devil.”
Lucy! I love it! Your creativity and imagination is …wonderful is not enough of a word to describe it!
” bare feet of winter
killed by glass mirrors,
castanets of stone
to the cosmic breath
and bone, the tulle sandalwood
of this bride’s wrist
bound to Hades.” WOW
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Andrada, I feel flattered and honored by your praise. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️❤️
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❤️
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You astound every time! “drunk
morpheus to a shore
that never bleeds;” Amazing!!
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Thank you very much! ❤
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Where do come up with words like this?? Really wonderful use of words.
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Thank you so much. 🥰
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Wow! Each of your poems are beautiful, Lucy 😍 Brilliantly expressed, with a sublime flow of words that beautifully bind the essence of the message.
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Thank you so much. 🥰
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My pleasure ☺️
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You’re so creative ❤️
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Aww, thanks! ☺️
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You’re welcome 😊
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Beautiful! And by the way, congratulations on the Little Writing Workshop of Horrors! 👏👏👏
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Thank you! 😃
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Lucy, again, this is magnificent. The depth and the sonority of the imagery is unbelievable.
“there is a dream impregnated
to drunk poetry and death of consciousness…
WOW!!!!
LOVE.
G.
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Thank you so much, G. 🥰
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My pleasure hon.
xoxo..
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I loved the last stanza Lucy dear !! Splendid ❤️
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Thank you so much, dear Nima. 💗
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My pleasure reading dear Lucy 🙂
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Wonderful piece Lucy. Loved every line specially the last stanza.
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Thank you. 🥰💕
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This was really passionate lucy. Loved it. 😇
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Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that.
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If only I could think like you! Your imagination knows no bounds and this shows in the beauty and complexity of your writing 💫✨
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Oh, thank you so much Hannah. I’m truly flattered!
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It’s my pleasure Lucy 🥰
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✨✨✨✨
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Thank you, Kay!
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Lucy, you’re so welcome✨💫🌕🌕🌕
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‘We’ll not wait on the moon to commit suicide’- stunning Lucy. Such a complex write, like a fine bottle of wine. LOVE.
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Thank you, Linda, so much.
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I love the opening stanza, Lucy, it got the hairs on my arms standing up, and ‘the tender briar of the moon’ is a stunning image. My favourite lines are the ones with the moan of internal rhyme:
‘castanets of stone
to the cosmic breath
and bone, the tulle sandalwood
of this bride’s wrist
bound to Hades’.
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Thank you so very much, Kim. ❤
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I’m wondering if the handsome devil is Hades looking at himself in the mirror. I bet Persephone hated his guts.
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Perhaps. I used the term, if I remember correctly, in a sort of romantic (actually, it’s more like Stockholm Syndrome) context with irony. Their relationship was vile, and with the final two lines at the end, Persephone is bound to him no matter what. She is free, but only partially.
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She was lucky to get away with a six month sentence. Women in Greek myths have a pitiful time.
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Lucy, I don’t know how you did it but Persephone and Hades never came so alive and intensely personal as when I was reading this. “Ebony winter” craving the “fresh vein of apples” — who could have said it any better, that bad boy need and the wholesome girl fatal attraction, jeweled metaphors that you toss out with such ease. An unforgettable masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️
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Oh, Dora, you humble me. Thank you so, so much.
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Such creative imagery, and that last line “bound to Hades” is like an unmovable rock across the door of a tomb. So final!
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Thank you! I was hoping to communicate that sense of finality.
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You did!
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Drunken poems and drunken lovers, chained together through eternity. Dark and erotic — and doomed.
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Oh, they are so doomed. Thank you for your feedback, Lisa. ❤
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My pleasure, Lucy ❤
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Stunning write Lucy. Absolutely stunning.
Winter, she’s a-coming…winter’s a-coming…
Anna :o]
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Thank you, Anna. You’re very kind!
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each new image is like another needle into a voodoo doll.
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Thank you.
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This is so beautifully written, Lucy. The choice of words….the rhyming….the imagery….the depth….the rhythm (in my head)…magnificent ❤️
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Thank you so much, Navin! That means a lot. ❤
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I see this in sharp contrasting colors–the white and black with the shock of red. Very visual. (K)
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Thank you!
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“there is a dream impregnated to drunk poetry and death of consciousness like the bare feet of winter killed by glass mirrors, castanets of stone,” ,,, this is so powerful! 💝
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Thank you, Sanaa.
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Lucy, I really like the way your mind navigates through a poem. You bring it to a high pace, and share, not only what is in front of you, but also what you catch glimpse of as you pass through your writing journey. I enjoy and admire that ability. I have moved back to bring too linear to the thread to write that way effectively any more, left to my vision. However, I was part of an online poetry community years ago, centered around Dana Guthrie Martin’s site, entitled Read Write Poem, where many of the poets worked in a style similar to yours. With that consistent influence, I became reasonably adept at a more free, eclectic style. That group of poets began to fragment when Dana’s site shut down, but several of us created splinter prompt sites that we published and monitored, to try to keep us together. My prompt site I published was Writer’s Island. I was also participating with Tess Kincaid’s Magpie Tales community, an interesting group that responded to the eclectic visual prompts Tess posted. Through all those years I enjoyed writing in a bit more free eclectic style. However, I became very ill a few years ago, which included two heart attacks, and a pacemaker implant — and stopped writing completely. After several more attempts to restart my writing, and more health related interruptions, I have finally resumed writing again, with sustained consistency, only this recent Spring. I love the group here at dVerse, there are fine poets here. And I am not unhappy with current efforts — but I miss the danger and inspiration of those “wide open years” back then. But hell, I am old, and I have lost my courage to stretch out. My mind is more comfortable now following my current, more linear approach. Sorry for all of this babbling and rambling Lucy. It started out to tell you that I really like what you do in your approach and execution, and am perhaps a bit jealous — having lost my grasp these days, on my more eclectic bravery. Glad you are participating at dVerse.
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Rob, that sounds terrible what you have been through. I am so sorry and I hope you continue to be well and healthy. ❤ ❤
I thank you for the kind words as well.
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Lucy! Wow!
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Thank you so much!
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Most welcome!
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I liked the death of consciousness …like frozen feet shattered in the the mirror. Loss of identity and ongoing confinement shine through. Well done.
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Thank you so much, Dwight. ❤
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Beautiful Lucy and the apt title
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Thank you very much, Athira!
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Always welcome…
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❤
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🙏🏻
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I love when these myths are given life through the artistry of the poet. In your deft hands we have new terrors and explore the psychological threats at the core of the story. Beautifully written!
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Anna, thank you so much. ❤ ❤
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‘Have our tombs,
six months in winter,
six months in spring;’
– I love this retelling of the Hades myth. Such a darkly moving write. Excellent work, as ever, Lucy! 🖤
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Thank you, Ingrid. 🙂
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Wordsmith you are
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Aww, thank you.
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Every line is so beautiful in this piece. I really liked, “like the bare feet of winter, killed by glass mirrors” that makes one reflect with a shiver. This poem must be read with a warm coat and hot chocolate in hand!
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Thank you so, so much. ❤️❤️❤️
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From ‘great’ title thru last line, this was a fascinating read.
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Thank you, Helen!
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Wow! That is all i can say. Wow!
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Thank you, Mary. I’m flattered. 🙂
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“the bride’s wrist bound to Hades” — a chilling image. You redefine darkness in your poetry, Lucy. I am always amazed to read it.
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Thank you, Lillian. It’s an honor. 😊
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the words are dripping with imagery. love xx
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Aww, thank you.
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I can imagine this being performed in an open mic event…. the flow is super nice. Love it!
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Aww, thank you so much!
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