(no subject)

Calliope

He disappointed her. Orpheus was meant
to change to God after some lapse of time
to organize the cosmos into rhyme
inaugurate a reign of wealth, content

and virtue. To replace Olympian waste
with simple austere ways, and yet be just
to Zeus the Titan-smasher, who would trust
someone so wise and gifted, sober, chaste

to take control, replace him, without blood.
Instead Orpheus took that girl as wife
traipsed off to Hell, squandered his mortal life.
She knew her plans were dust and that she should

forget him - knew as muse that poetry
had gained a tale to rework endlessly

(no subject)

Snake

She lay warming her belly in the sun
in the deep grass and flowers. The hum of bees
thrummed through her skin. The scent of peonies
hung in the air. Her scales were gold and dun

and red and green. Thuds jolted her awake
feet running – one foot caught her. Her sharp bite
caught at a heel. She drained her venom. Night
descended on her in sharp blows. The snake

was trampled by sharp hooves, that smashed her skull
and tore her skin to tatters. Deadly beast
that meant no harm. Her slow cold heart beat ceased,
Her darting tongue still, diamond eyes left dull.

Small complex bones crushed shards. Beetles and ants
fed well on what was left of elegance.