Winning and Losing
The boy's clothes were so threadbare,
had they been washed
they might have disappeared.
Nevertheless, the filth that held his garments together
was plentiful.
The dirt lay so thick in his ears
that he was nearly deaf.
The lice and fleas moved over his bony frame in herds.
The urine reek of fear and shame are on him.
He is defeat, he is failure,
he has no father, no patron,
no home to return to.
He hides his toothless, filth-smeared mouth,
covers his eyes and weeps alone.
She is golden skinned.
Her gown of white linen is woven
with strings of pearls and sapphires.
Her dowry is glory and gold braid.
Her sisters want to dress her hair
with embroidered ribbons,
proclaiming their eternal name.
Her brothers clear a path before her,
bearing lances and singing songs of glory.
She is victory and has a thousand fathers.
Kalliope
Means "beautiful voice" from Greek καλλος (kallos) "beauty" and οψ (ops) "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.
Join us every Tuesday night for drinks at the Daily Kos community political poetry club
Your own poetry is always welcome in the comments
Bongos, berets & turtle neck sweaters optional
The keypad is mightier than the sword
Readers & Book Lovers Series Schedule:
This diary went up a bit late and that is my fault. My sincere apologies to bigjacbigjacbigjac and the rest of the group for missing the deadline.