a starless oblivion

a poem inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (more specifically its retelling through 'Hadestown')

a starless oblivion

his father unknown, his mother a muse
Orpheus thrives on his darling tunes 
siren of earth makes the flowers bloom
and hands them to she who hands him the moon 

Eurydice, name like a melody
helps him hear what he cannot see
his raison d’être, her impending death
their story, a tragedy, they’ve only just met 

in love they fall, further she will go
her past has made her learn to forgo
whatever it is she thinks she knows 
the muse’s son is her only hope

to clear the fog in which she was raised 
to sing the winter’s cold away
he’s made of the ash of her raging fire
she burns through the sound of his lonesome lyre

but when have the flames ever known to stay quiet
can the musician’s song be heard over the riot
caused by a chase* or a simple mistake
of dancing, then stepping out of place 

if so can a snake bite be as bitter
as the pretence of indifference  
where love is known 
but by fearsome gods forbidden to be shown 

can its poison spread so
fast it reaches her other half
the half that made her whole 
the half her memory longs to behold

a river whose waters are no longer known
out of reach, out of sight, waiting down below
a body that leaves its heart behind
while its flesh and blood stand still, can’t find

the heart of the poet can’t find the beat of its muse 
so the poet’s heart yields to its heartless fate 
filled with petty words, and cries out of tune
the poet refusing to face his lover’s doom

throws curses borrowed from Circe
throws Apollo’s fatal discus 
throws melodies to carry notes
of endless sorrow and despair  

with his lyre, he recalls desire
the far-away desire to let one star be his sun
as he fades into a starless oblivion 
as he forgets the feeling of freedom

and heads with his lyre and trembling limbs
to a kingdom of ash and dust and sins
he sings to the walls and the rocks
they weep, their tears carve his path

and his own foresee 
a tale of despair, a tragedy 
a startling look and a loss he grieves 
in sunlight she fades, 

as 
     does 
 
                    (he)


*in Vergil's retelling of the myth, the shepherd god and satyr Arsitaeus chases Eurydice, before she falls and is bitten by a snake, while in other versions she was merely dancing with her fellow nymphs and didn't notice the snake in time

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For those of you who’ve been here for a while, you’ve undoubtedly noticed my adoration for the musical Hadestown, written by Anaïs Mitchell. The poem you’ve just read was written while the original version of ‘If It’s True’ (see link below) played on repeat. I have been fond of Hadestown ever since I was fifteen years old and watched a two-pixel ‘slime tutorial’ on youtube, starring the OG cast (I still can’t believe they’re married now!) and it remains my favourite musical to this day. Thank you for joining me as I figure out how to show my appreciation for something I hold so dear to me through my words. I can assure you, I will be writing of this wonder of a show again.

Here’s the OG cast recording of ‘If It’s True’.

I’ve also included a link to Jack Wolfe (my favourite Orpheus)’s version, for it is simply mindblowing and your ears deserve to be blessed. Have fun!

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bonus: take my hand, if you must

take my hand, if you must
if you feel like you might 
fall apart under light 

under darkness, in spite
of the flowers, in bloom
of your aesthetic doom

take my hand, if you must 
and I’ll hold it so tight
I’ll be you, you’ll be I

I’ll be me when I die
and then you’ll take my hand 
for you must understand 

I am the seed you plant 
I am forgotten land
I am everything even 

when i fade away 
and I beg of you, please
hold me ‘till I decay

take my hand if you must 
out of love, and not lust
out of care and despair 

take my hand, for I care 

---

I was going through my old poems when I found this one. I remember writing it without a vision of what I wanted it to be, and being left without a vision when it was done, which rarely happens to me, so I left it behind and moved on. When I reread it now, it makes perfect sense to include it here, as a little bonus for my sweet stars in disguise.

Have a wonderful day and remember to be kind to yourselves! I love you all dearly!

With love, Ella