Maidenhead (Poem)

Claudio Mufarrege, The Arrow Shot, Photomanipulation

© Claudio Mufarrege

Courtesy of One Stop Poetry, Used With Permission

Maidenhead

Daughter of Zeus, born the sixth day,
your mother's own midwife, Apollo's twin,

many-named and worshipped high,
you: goddess of contradiction,

curer and swift sudden death giver both,
your marks the x and arrow on the wall do plead.

Hunt you not forests and hills
but shadows loosed in hell's own corners:

the one claimed by Actaeon, torn to shreds,
another Callisto's own,

and children of Niobe, one by one, their blood
you might bleach from your saffron robe.

Orion too, beloved, his death you caused
to be amended in the sky, and Agamemnon,

his mistake, his kill your wrath incurred, and
the wind from his sails you took, his ship becalmed.

Untamed, unseen by human eyes, chaste enticer
you: what of your chariot of gold abandoned,

your quiver once filled by Cyclopes spent,
your bow no more but the shape

of the waxing moon, whose sacrifices great
do you command now,

your arms back, fingers pointing to the past,
eyes heavenward, maiden no longer on the prow?

© 2010 Maureen E. Doallas
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I wrote this poem for One Shoot Sunday at One Stop Poetry, which today features an interview with and selected work of Argentinean photographer Claudio Mufarrege, editor of the Imag-e-ination Daily, plus a Picture Prompt Challenge based on the image above.

Anyone may participate in the challenge. Go here to read the interesting interview with Mufarrege and to learn what to do to accept the challenge. Be sure to leave there the link to your contribution.

Claudio Mufarrege on Flickr

Claudio Mufarrege on Twitter