Poetry

From The Hills of Rio. . .

by
Shirley Walker

 

sun climbs like a curious child
on Carnival days, drinks serenades
that spill from the guitar of Orpheus.
Blossoms part their petals

like legs of brown women dancing
barefoot, and butterflies tap dying grass.
Death stops, listens, allows Orpheus
to enter Hades with an ice-necklace

for Eurydice, 2 coins for the jukebox ferry.
Orpheus strums his guitar for the release
of his love; sons' water wheels stand
still, demons shed tears, daughters rest

from drawing water in a sieve, vultures cease
tearing a Cyclops' eye.  But, in this place,
Eurydice cannot whisper his name.
In this place, Orpheus cannot look back
as she follows him through the caves.

Her carnival dress churns, fans the flames
chained around her collar, burns, waves
farewell to the forbidden gaze of her lover.
The necklace melts. He drops the coin.
Eurydice still trembles on his tongue.

 

Shirley Walker is a native California Pisces who enjoys writing a diverse array of short stories, poems, and devouring banana pudding.  Her work has appeared in ZuZu's Petals, A Writer's Choice, The Harrow, Papyrus, TimBookTu, and several other online and print literary journals.  She stated, "My busy inner child keeps me young, and my creative juice drips on occasion."