Lovely Medusa Poem by Katherine de Castro

Lovely Medusa

Rating: 5.0


Lovely Medusa,
But why is she lovely?
Explain to me please,
What makes people admire her so?

“It’s her hair, ”
“It’s her eyes, ”
“It’s her smile, no doubt”
Is the only kind of answer I ever get.

But, let me tell you,
I’m getting tired of those answers,
Is there no reason that runs deeper than this?
Or is that all she can pride herself on,
Her creamy complexion and perfect lips?

Suddenly, overnight,
Medusa has lost her appeal,
What happened yesterday,
That they’re making such a hullabaloo over?

Didn’t you hear?
The goddess, Minerva,
In a rage of jealousy,
Placed a life-long curse on fair Medusa,
She wanted Neptune for her own.

Now, whoever should take the chance,
To gaze at Medusa again,
Is risking his life, and for nothing at all,
For Medusa is now a disgrace.

Her appearance is witch-like,
Her figure is unwomanly,
And every tress in her hair,
Has turned into a snake’s coil.

Sitting on a rock by the sea,
Near the cave where she now resides,
Medusa weeps in her loneliness,
But no one is there to see,
Save for the creatures that swim about there,
But what do they care for a gorgon,
Who turns all who look at her into stone?

A tear falls upon her once delicate cheek,
As she thinks of the future in store,
She tries to be brave in the face of hell,
And draws from within a courage,
No one told me she had.

“Minerva, lend me your shield, ”
A strong voice is heard in the
Dwelling place of the gods.
It is none other than Jupiter’s son.
Perseus soars through the air on winged shoes.

Medusa is lying in her cave,
Sleeping, unaware,
Crying even in her slumber,
What has she done to bring her here?

“To go back, ” whispers Medusa in her dreams,
“To be who I was before,
Even without beauty or glamour,
To have a bright future is enough! ”

To have a bright future is enough,
To have a bright future is enough,
It echoes through the cave and
Startles Perseus as he creeps closer
To where she sleeps.

A gorgon lies there, resting,
A gorgon with a woman’s heart,
An innocence and beauty within its breast,
Ah, but that’s not what people see.

It was there all along,
But her stunning charm overrode it,
That was all that mattered to them then,
They thought that but to look
At her was all things good in itself.

The old Medusa made men rage,
They thought she looked brilliant
In the clothes she selected,
Marvelous as she walked across a room.

Yet their hearts did not beat faster,
When they saw her giving to the poor,
Or helping a child up who fell on the streets.
Her beauty of appearance was all they noticed,
It had them in a trance.

Now that I know this gorgon’s heart,
Now that I know of the charitable thoughts
That have passed through her mind,
And of the many times she gave
To the poor when she could,
I, too, agree that Medusa is lovely.

Sweet words from a disfigured mouth,
Chapped and bleeding,
Are no sweeter when they pass through
Beautifully painted lips, so soft.

Perseus now stands over Medusa,
The deadly weapon is aimed,
No! Do not slay Medusa!
But, alas, it is too late.

The sound of Medusa’s even breathing,
Replaced by the sound of Perseus’s
Retreating footsteps.

The old question rushes into
My whirling head,
Lovely Medusa,
But why is she lovely?

I look at her dead body,
At the ugly face still wet
From her tears,
And I say aloud,
For all to hear,

Lovely Medusa!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Katie De Castro 03 October 2008

Thank-you, C T Heart. I am glad you enjoyed it. I had such fun writing it!

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C T Heart 03 October 2008

Mythological composition at its finest symphony in a poetic form...toiled so well. Welcome to PH family...a 10 for this lovely read. thanks.....

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