Monday, December 9, 2019

Death by Serpent

"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety."
Antony & Cleopatra, William Shaekspeare


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.


30 comments:

  1. 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.

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  2. This is absolutely exquisite, Kerry!๐Ÿ’– 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.

    I 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..๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’– Lots of love to you ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿ˜˜

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sanaa, for allowing me to repurpose my free verse into something with more structure. i shall be trying this form again soon.

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  3. How clever to follow the form - I struggled. Both of your pieces sing

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jae. I am glad to know you like them both.

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  4. “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.”

    So good.

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  5. Oy...that 3rd couplet: BLAMMO!!

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  6. I 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.

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  7. what a marvelous response Kerry, and it fits your illustration perfectly.

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    Replies
    1. I drew the picture first, then wrote the poem. I work either way with my illustrated poetry.

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  8. I 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:
    ‘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.’

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  9. Yes, but I bet you haven't dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drunk it down! ;-)

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    Replies
    1. Nope.. but I do have a few spare pearls lying around, so.. I still have time.

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  10. I loved your illustration. The Landay works very well... better than the original I think. Enjoyed it.

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  11. "I see cracks in mortal foundations
    but 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

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  12. I really love how you took your original verse and split it into landays, each one giving a separate image coming together as one.

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  13. Fascinating, first and second interpretations. And lovely as always.

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  14. Your 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.

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    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, it does seem to be the human condition. Still we know the light is there ahead of us.

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  15. A 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.

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  16. Third and fourth landai are my favorites. Great subject, and more powerful as landai than free verse.

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