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Sunday, May 10, 2009

Argus & Io, halfway home

This is the second part of my poem Argus & Io. It focuses on the female half of that mythical dyad. I don't know if familiarity with that story's details improves or lessens the impact of the my words...

Argus & Io
By Francis Scudellari

II.

She
ill-changed
by light, blind
rage-punishment
unearned for baring
another's intentions,
his wont of too much
never sought for
or seeking
her was-
nymph's
once so
sleek, well-drawn
lines pulled wide, smudged
till broken, transformed
to a dark spotted bulk
she awkward carries
on four legs, mind
always led
circling
back
tethered
to a gnarled
soil-clutching tree
with taut-stretched chain's forged
gray, heavy iron links
slow dragged, in-cutting
circumscribed arcs
through bitter,
narrow
blades

4 comments:

Mark Kerstetter said...

I'm intrigued by the tripartite shape of both parts. Surely that's no accident?

Jena Isle said...

It's a fitting conclusion to the first poem. Well crafted and copious like a well of fresh water.

The Uneasy Supplicant said...

Intriguing Francis. I love the way your mind works this poem out to suit the myth. Well done.
~JD

Francis Scudellari said...

@Mark It was a bit of an experiment. I tend to play around with some odd structures. It builds up and then diminishes. The fact that there are 3 cycles is more to do with the length of the material.

@Jena It's actually not a conclusion... I've got two more parts still coming :).

@icedgurl I always hope to keep it up, but you never know what fate has in mind.

@JD I take a few liberties with the story, but I guess that's the whole point :).