CRY MERCY AND GENTLENESS

An Ancient Feminist

by Karin Heyer

(Inspired by the tale of Salmacis and Hermaphhroditus)

>>>>

Outrageous, Shameless,

She outstripped the moon

the moralist cried,

‘Even in modern days’!

Moralists prefer the wavering count:

‘he loves me, he loves me not,

he loves me, he loves me not…’

She must wait,

Pained and demure,

For his first move.

>>>

>>>>

Dare I, dare I not?

I dare, Salmacis cried:

I desire this beautiful youth,

Equality does not forbid daring.

In love they were one

and thus completed their destiny.

the well

by Nat Hall

from the divine,
son of adam,
daughter of eve, fruit of apples, starts with a h-

>>>>>h for Hermes,

e for ego, experiment extraordinaire,
r for rondo written in haste when all is dark,
m as mountain – metamorphosis to winged child,
a for amour, for whom a nymph fired passion inside the well,
p as prayer to be united forever, the peculiar duality,
h for hailing “heal me, baby” in a halo,
>>>>r for result or redemption,
>>>>>>>>o shaped their lips like an omen,
>>>>>>>>>>>>d for derelict womb-mama-man
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>i incarnates
>>>>>>>>>>>>their raison d’être,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>u for uniformed by great gods,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>s for no one but Salmacis.

>>>>
Nat Hall 2013

Bathe

by Nell Perry