Earth and Us
Dedicated to William Shakespeare Venus and Adonis
Who are we each of us?
We are born of you and yet
you are not in need of us.
But our love will not let
go as it insistently
persuades
with manipulative hands
inflicting kind and unkind
strokes repainting your face
Our brutal lust is not
satisfied unless pieces
of you lie dying
only then are we stilled
Will we cry with rivers of heartache
like Venus’ tears for the
dead Adonis?
Leaving a wound so profound
the scars weeping histories,
geological ages
Our murder of beauty
the hunter’s game laid out for
amusement,
ruined sinew tethering
our necks, forcing our change
Or will we simply just
disappear myths
legends, romantics
fossils of gods, nostalgic poems
of unrequited love
Clare L Rolfe © 2016
photo CL Rolfe Kakadu lily