Caravaggio, Medusa (2nd version), 1597-98 A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousygrew in my mind,which turn
Caravaggio, Medusa (2nd version), 1597-98 A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousygrew in my mind,which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes,as though my thoughtshissed and spat on my scalp.My bride’s breath soured, stankin the grey bags of my lungs.I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued,yellow fanged.There are bullet tears in my eyes.Are you terrified?Be terrified.It’s you I love,perfect man, Greek God, my own;but I know you’ll go, betray me, strayfrom home.So better by far for me if you were stone.I glanced at a buzzing bee,a dull grey pebble fellto the ground.I glanced at a singing bird,a handful of dusty gravelspattered down.I looked at a ginger cat,a housebrickshattered a bowl of milk.I looked at a snuffling pig,a boulder rolledin a heap of shit.I stared in the mirror.Love gone badshowed me a Gorgon.I stared at a dragon.Fire spewedfrom the mouth of a mountain.And here you comewith a shield for a heartand a sword for a tongueand your girls, your girls.Wasn’t I beautiful?Wasn’t I fragrant and young?Look at me now. Carol Ann Duffy, Medusa, 1999 -- source link
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