Venus on the Rocks
1.
Ask about the drunk goddess–
hair and gown of lathered mist,
no lie—she rose from water
a shimmering, thorned flower, almost eternal.
2.
As the sky sleeps,
the woman wants you
to recall sprays of purple and bitter rust
but the wind moans, I am your mother. Listen.
3.
The sea urged her on,
that is what her friends said,
caught between red-petaled love and shadows below,
she dove. Submerged in a forgotten dream.
4.
The raw rocks have hard milky faces—
but watch—they tell time
in whispered pink, sweet always or never,
siren songs for sailors, symphony in a storm.
5.
Beneath the fiddler’s notes,
you wonder if you understand–
this is moon-language falling like rain,
blood-beauty swimming from the blue, unattainable, but known.
My message from the Oracle. Maybe a cadralor?
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Mysterious for me, but full of imagery. Plus, I learned a bit about cadralor because I never heard or seen that word until now.
Thank you, Frank.
I’ve written some before, but I’m never sure if I have the form right.
Being unsure is the poetic artist within you.
Thank you, Frank. 😊
Wondrous, and, as Frank said, full of mystery and light. You are so good with mythology. “moon-language falling like rain”–exquisite. My message is short and pales in comparison. (K)
Wow, Kerfe. High praise indeed. Thank you so much!
Your message was short, but lovely.
Thanks Merril. I always like to be reminded of the birdlings.
You’re welcome. 🙂
I see this as a more gritty rendering of the Birth of Venus, myth and metaphor. I’ll let more poetic types comment on the form. Cadralor?
Thank you, Marian. 😊
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
Thank you, Michael! 😊
Thanks as well, Merril! I really love metaphors like “The raw rocks have hard milky faces—” Enjoy a nice Sunday! xx Michael
Thank you very much for letting me know that, Michael! I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. 💙
Oh my… did the Oracle see your image and gave you exactly what you needed? Even if she didn’t, she just knew. You two are a wonderful pair. I love this, Merril… A sort of Ekphrastic Cadralor 🙂
Thank you very much, Dale.
I just started writing the fragments, and then I thought of this painting.
Twitter marked my post of this poem as “sensitive.” 😳
How wonderful that you thought of this painting after!
And seriously? Twitter and Facebook are getting on my last nerve.
Thank you!
I appealed it, and they removed the warning. I know social media is crazy. I’m mostly on Twitter for the poetry and FB for friends. 😊
Wow. I still can’t get anyone to respond to my request to stop blocking my blog on FB. At least you got an answer and an action!
I was surprised, too, but I responded to a note they sent me in my notifications that included a link to appeal. If I had had to go searching, I probably wouldn’t have bothered. That is so crazy though that FB still won’t allow your posts. I don’t know what anyone could object to!
Oh, that is wonderful – so much better organized than by the Bots at FB. I dunno what to do, to be honest…
I wish I could tell you. Social media is just bizarre.
I hear ya
oooh love this imagery
👏
“the woman wants you
to recall sprays of purple and bitter rust
but the wind moans, I am your mother. Listen.”
Thank you so much, Cindy! 😊
The poem seems more of a piece than a cadralor. It resonates with untold stories.
I’m pleased you felt that. Yes, I wondered if it went together too much for a cadralor.
Beautifully woven, Merril!
Thank you, Ingrid!
why do you say “maybe”?
~David
Hi David. I’m just never sure about this form. Perhaps the stanzas in this one are too similar? The one time I submitted to Gleam, my poems weren’t accepted.
Magical and melodic – beautiful imagery
Thank you very much, Derrick. 💙