This poem was inspired by the painting by Rocco Marconi (active in Venice 1504 - 1526) in the Academia Art Gallery in Venice, where I drew the expressive faces of the onlookers to the drama of Christ rescuing the adultress from the harsh law which would have had her stoned to death.
'I am an exotic gift, pearls in braided honey hair.
I gather my coral wrappings about my satin shoulders,
my little hand laid softly on my breast, next
to the smooth valley where you have often ventured in
to discover jewels hidden under the grass green brocade.
No display today
But only yesterday
this was your garden,
and you lay with me,
accepting my generous love
as thoughtless play.'
'With righteous face I claim my place: I am her husband.
I've paid for all the lace, the satins and brocades.
I am a reasonable man. I claim my rights
I'm looking for an end to this charade.
Who are you, to say this harlot should be spared?
A holy man? A man who has no morals, if you cannot see
that law and natural justice lies with me.
No matter if she's beautiful – her actions are not fair.'
'She was a good lay. We had a lot of fun.
She can make a man feel he's the only one.
Shame we got caught – I suppose it had to come.
It was just a matter of time. The old man knew
he couldn't keep her – it's true
she needed a stallion like me – ah well
we had our day – now she'll have to pay
and she, not I, will go to hell.'
A crowd has gathered to dispute her fate
some faces dark, some animate with lust:
some fearing secrets will come out;
some hoping for a spectacle of blood in the dust,
a broken doll, a gift undone, a proud beauty
brought to a snivelling weeping thing
then silenced with a final stone
cast by a man who'd claim to be
the instrument of justice and of duty.
'Let he who has no sin cast the first stone'
And men who listen to Christ's voice realise
they'll not be qualified to start the slaughter,
'Go now and sin no more' But sin's not on her mind...
she's thinking of the love that she still hopes to find...
and sin will be irrelevant, to Eve's unruly daughter.
insightful, touching, angering, lyrical... a good poem indeed. Thank you Janice. Shaun.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Not bad. Intriguing title. Sid.