Antony & Cleopatra, William Shaekspeare
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| Death of Cleopatra Kerry O'Connor |
Haunted by relics of bygone age,
slabs of stone, hand-hewn, a painted frieze against the wall
All that endeavour and detritus,
it is ground to a fine dust beneath the heel of time.
What were we to each other more than
spark to dry tinder? We consumed ourselves
Twin flames in the eyes of Ouroboros,
until we choked on the dismal ashes of defeat.
Now history has traced my eyes,
with black kohl, and placed two serpents in my hands.
I see cracks in mortal foundations
but know not how to make order out of anarchy.
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This poem began as a companion piece to my illustration of Cleopatra, but was quite hastily written, without much thought for form or meter. Sanaa's last prompt in The Imaginary Garden, to write poetry in the Landay form, sent me back to my poem, which I restructured using the guidelines. I much prefer this version and shall return to the form again because it is very user friendly.
My original free verse poem:
I am haunted by relics
of a bygone age
slabs of stone, hand-hewn,
painted frieze against a wall,
all that endeavour
and the detritus it is ground to
beneath the heel of time.
What were we to each other
more than spark to dry tinder?
Twin flames in the eyes of Ouroboros,
we consumed ourselves
until we choked on the ashes of defeat.
Now history will trace kohl around my eyes,
place serpents in my hands.
I see cracks in mortal foundations
but know not how to mend.
Historical Blurb
Cleopatra VII was the last Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, 69 - 30 BCE.
Lover of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, whom she married in 32 BCE, Cleopatra was a major influence on world affairs during her lifetime. As joint rulers of Egypt, they were defeated at the Battle of Actium, by Octavian. Mark Antony fell upon his sword. When Cleopatra learnt that Octavian planned to lead her in triumphal march through the streets of Rome, she committed suicide rather than surrender, traditionally by asps smuggled into her chamber in a basket of figs.
I loved your landay. Well the snakes seem quite happy with Cleopatra giving herself up to them! Rulers thoughout the world for millenia have nearly always failed to understand that being in charge is a dangerous occupation. The bigger the empire the more dangerous it is to rule.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed! She is an archetype for sure.
DeleteThis is absolutely exquisite, Kerry!💖 The form has given a whole new dimension to the poem and acts like a binding force to words carved in history. I love the use of language and the way each couplet blends in continuation with the other.
ReplyDeleteI also love the poem in its original form and am marveling at the elegant use of color and brush strokes in the artwork!! Thank you so much for gifting me with this incredible poem on my final prompt in the Garden..💖💖 Lots of love to you 😘😘
Thank you, Sanaa, for allowing me to repurpose my free verse into something with more structure. i shall be trying this form again soon.
DeleteHow clever to follow the form - I struggled. Both of your pieces sing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jae. I am glad to know you like them both.
Delete“Now history has traced my eyes,
ReplyDeletewith black kohl, and placed two serpents in my hands.
I see cracks in mortal foundations
but know not how to make order out of anarchy.”
So good.
I'm glad you liked this one!
DeleteOy...that 3rd couplet: BLAMMO!!
ReplyDeleteYep! Fatal attraction.
DeleteI love the transformation of your poem into landay. An intriguing form, which must bring laughter and release especially to Afghan women around the fire, commenting on their lives. I can almost hear the cackling.
ReplyDeleteIt does invite a satirical twist.
Deletewhat a marvelous response Kerry, and it fits your illustration perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI drew the picture first, then wrote the poem. I work either way with my illustrated poetry.
DeleteI like both versions, Kerry, but I think that the pace and phrasing of the Landay version are more measured, and the structure is clearer, particularly in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘slabs of stone, hand-hewn, a painted frieze against the wall’
and
‘Twin flames in the eyes of Ouroboros,
until we choked on the dismal ashes of defeat.’
Yes, thanks, Kim. I also prefer it.
DeleteYes, but I bet you haven't dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drunk it down! ;-)
ReplyDeleteNope.. but I do have a few spare pearls lying around, so.. I still have time.
DeleteI loved your illustration. The Landay works very well... better than the original I think. Enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your thoughts.
Delete"I see cracks in mortal foundations
ReplyDeletebut know not how to make order out of anarchy."
I think we humans know by now and submit to our inadequacy, there in lies wisdom.
Happy Tuesday
Much✏love
Hi Gillena.. How lovely to hear from you.
DeleteI really love how you took your original verse and split it into landays, each one giving a separate image coming together as one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bjorn. We continue to learn!
DeleteFascinating, first and second interpretations. And lovely as always.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Helen.
DeleteYour artwork is amazing as is the voice you created for it. "I see cracks in mortal foundations but know not how to make order out of anarchy." We seem to always be creating those cracks. Perhaps we are in perpetual destruction.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it does seem to be the human condition. Still we know the light is there ahead of us.
DeleteA very challenging form in its way, I would think. It seems to have done a fine job tho in distilling the essence of your free verse into packets of words that strike with a bite as sharp as any serpent tooth. The tale of Cleopatra is one well worthy of verse, and yours does it full justice.
ReplyDeleteThird and fourth landai are my favorites. Great subject, and more powerful as landai than free verse.
ReplyDelete