Progelomenon for "Perseus," an unfinished work

...the snake
engulfed its
whole length

and its jaws
expanding to
their utmost

bore a broad
hot river of
bright stars

The universe
inverted and
we were born


•
•
•


Sliding, the
snakes twist

glide slowly
on and under

Ships: blind
in dense fog

turning over
each other's

extended gut
chest, limbs

Massive arms
bound as one


•


Strained the
hip-sheathed
straitjacket

An energy so
concentrated
to open; the

Tongue's tip
on the green
apple's skin

turns inward
...flowering
to the flesh


•


Bright's the
papered bark
of the birch

Sap of amber
running down
a white limb

Gartersnakes
slip through
pink fingers

Rose tongues
coiled round
copper flame


•


And she rose
the dentrite
form against
the tongue's

Thigh's jaws
clenching on
cheek's bone
Crush, grind

Gnashing her
circles then
Hammering on
broken teeth


•


Branch, twig
a camouflage

Hidden under
wet boulders

Outward eyes
shut tightly

Fork cutting
air, stubble

In the cross
of this path

Goddess, god
here conjoin


•


Tiresias saw
them twining

Parting them
with a stick

God, Goddess
inverted him

Male——female
Female——male

And an inner
sight befell

experience's
black vision


•
•
•



© Dan Goorevitch