Chimera Poem by Keith Shorrocks Johnson
Chimera
Every man who has a serviceable soul
Is not whole but contains a chimera
The twin girl child of his earliest youth
Whose emotions live on enveloped.
[No doubt it is the same for woman
With the polarities and negatives
Reversed - the ambivalent Sappho singing
Of the imperishable hero Achilles.]
But as manhood rises, the she-soul fades
Trapped in the frame of masculinity
Though she is never wholly transmuted
Whispering as she does of lost divinity
Singing softly from the mind's shades
Of the perils of mortality and eternity:
A shadow of His mother, sister, lover
Sotto voce - the silent S'ibilance of He.
Now we know of what the sirens sang
When Ulysses, chained firmly to the mast
Of his nameless ship heard the enchanted
Sounds - straining for the dangerous coast.
And why Orpheus looked back in Hades
Unable to return to life the nymph
From whom he will never be parted:
Paired victims of Elysium's serpent.
And why Hylas gazed deeply, knowingly
At the naiads who drew him down to drown.
And why Narcissus at the surface found
Only hopeless longing in reflection.
Remember also Aphrodite and her revenge:
Psyche's beauty sacrificed to a dark god
Nightly awaiting the unseen lover
Too trusting of sisters, too lacking faith.
All betrayals of the substance of Eros:
The theft of the rib and not the fruit
The ripping apart of male and female
And the imperfections left in duality.
And this unfolding, this drawing down
This enfolding of hidden opposites
Of which dissension is the essence
Bedevils our good-standing with the gods
Of which I have no answer - only this
That we should engender harmony
Between the shadow and the soul
And share our secret selves in love.
This should be everyone's duty to maintain peace and harmony. A nice poem indeed. To quote from the poem. 'Of which I have no answer - only this That we should engender harmony Between the shadow and the soul And share our secret selves in love. '..is beautiful. Congrats on being selected poem of the day. '
Working through duality and seeking harmony within ourselves and in this world is indeed the lessons taught through all those ancient stories. Even those gods and celestial beings aren’t Immune to this friction. Great poem!
This poem is very worthy poem well written. This conveys a tender theme. No one should betray. Let all get peace and joy.
Mesmerizing poetry woven around the gods and goddesses of Mythology. Excellent writing and fascinating imagery.
Sharing secret selves in love. Outstanding conceptualization. Congrats on poem of the day.
Excellent poem that draws deep from Jungian psychology and Greek mythology. Congratulations Keith...it's definitely a 10 from me!
All betrayals of the substance of Eros: The theft of the rib and not the fruit...// great and poignant writing; it's really a fascinating mastery in poetic expression
A poignant rendition written in heightened poetic diction with conviction. An insightful creation. Thanks for sharing, Keith.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/27/2024 8:46:12 AM # 1.0.0.1119
CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! ....A great day has arrived for you to celebrate and we see your poem as the member poem of the day. This is very pleasing to read filled with emotion and love. A tender soul is Chimera. This is definitely excellently penned.10