Persephone

Written by Julie Dickson.

You are Hades and I am Persephone.

You were desperate for passion,

And took advantage of my naivety

As I mistook your lust for love.

Sitting in my field of endless flowers and sunshine,

The bright colours painted my dreamworld.

A violent wind blew the petals from their stalks,

Fiery fingertips gouged my shoulders,

You pulled me asunder.

Darkness permeates my body, taking possession.

I never realised I could speak the language of madness.

Surrounded by wilted plants, poisoned at the roots,

You look at me with ferocity in your eyes.

I realise it’s a reflection of my own.

You taunted my hunger with acid pomegranate.

The thick red pulp that ran down my hands

Was never enough to indulge my cravings.

As what I really wanted,

I could never fully have.

For now I will always dance with splinters in my feet,

Every flower I pick will pierce me with its thorns,

My lips will crave the blood acidity of pomegranates.

And my heart will long for the darkness, for the madness,

For you.

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Julie’s work appears in the Forward, Retro, Tension, Taboo, Illusion, Harmony, and Epilogue editions of WORDLY Magazine.