Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Poem: "Bull-Dancers"

This poem came out of the June 13, 2008 Poetry Fishbowl.  (I'm reposting it because the original page seems to have crashed.)  It was inspired and prompted by browngirl.  This is one of several Minoan poems I've posted.  You might also enjoy "The Goddess and the Bull" and "The Snake Goddess."


Bull-Dancers
-- classical hendecasyllable


He comes.  Distantly, bellows echo.  Bull.  God.
We wait, trembling, awed and silent.  Youths.  Maids.

Bull-God, galloping ringward, rumbles.  What horns!
Palms.  Chalk.  Sweaty still.  Grab the horns and – Heave!  Leap!

Land well.  Scattering, dodging charges, we flee.
Safe, safe!  Holiness touches dancers.  We kneel.

Each year, sacrifice blesses those who dare dance.
Flesh.  Grace.  Touching His power briefly, we fly.

Tags: cyberfunded creativity, fishbowl, history, paganism, poem, poetry, reading, spirituality, writing
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  • 10 comments
the_vulture

the_vulture

August 23 2010, 08:13:31 UTC 10 years ago

Ooo! I wanna be a Minoan now! :)
ysabetwordsmith

Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

August 23 2010, 17:08:35 UTC 10 years ago

I'm glad you enjoyed my poetic tour. Most archaeologists infer from the remnants that Minoa was a well-developed and healthy culture. It was probably easy to live a happy life there.
the_vulture

Re: Thoughts

the_vulture

August 24 2010, 13:29:37 UTC 10 years ago

Of course they were happy. Look at their artwork. An entire civilization that produced artwork reminiscent of Dr. Seuss HAD to be happy! :)
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

August 24 2010, 17:10:59 UTC 10 years ago

*laugh* Good point.

No, wait ... on closer consideration, I think it went the other way around. I'm a fairly enthusiastic Dr. Seuss fan, both on the writing and the art; and I've seen a fair bit of Minoan art and extrapolations of the culture. There are more than casual parallels, and some of the matches are obscure things. Bits of architecture, styling of clothes, the particular flavor of nonviolence. I suddenly wonder if he was into that branch of history.
the_vulture

Re: Thoughts

the_vulture

August 25 2010, 02:02:58 UTC 10 years ago

Now you have me curious. I did a little Google Fu, but, other than idle speculation similar to ours, there isn't anything really popping off the screen in regards to Dr Seuss and any study or interest of Minoan culture. 'Course, this is not to say it's still not a possibility.
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

August 25 2010, 02:10:48 UTC 10 years ago

It wouldn't show easily from our perspective. An author's connections often don't, unless you know the person and where they grew up and what kind of classes they took. The impressions are there in the work, but the source is usually hidden.
the_vulture

Re: Thoughts

the_vulture

August 26 2010, 16:00:58 UTC 10 years ago

Very true.
marina_bonomi

marina_bonomi

August 23 2010, 16:49:40 UTC 10 years ago

I've never felt a real connection to the Minoans...
Until I read this triptych of yours. Thank you!
ysabetwordsmith

Yay!

ysabetwordsmith

August 24 2010, 03:12:56 UTC 10 years ago

I'm glad I was able to make that connection for you. I have admired Minoan civilization for a long time. It was a happy coincidence that one of my patrons was also very fond of it.

I hadn't really thought of these poems as a triptych before, but I think you're right -- they work well together. It might be interesting to scrapbook them on three matching pages.
endlessrarities

endlessrarities

August 24 2010, 19:14:05 UTC 10 years ago

Lovely!

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