What I Wonder about Prometheus

posted November 13, 2010


Why his liver?
That’s what I want to know.
If it had been me, I feel sure
That God would’ve taken my voice.
And it wouldn’t have been a violent desecration, either, with the mysterious restoration
In the night while the victim slept, wiped out, from the brutal operation
No, more like a borrowing—a book from the library, slyly
Returned with a different page dog eared each day.

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  1. I feel like I know this poem — did you write it a while back and just recently post it here? Funny, but I was actually thinking about Prometheus today (after doing some reading) and had this vague recollection of a poem you’d written about him. If this is brand new, then I’m either crazy or really tapped in! Thanks for sharing it either way…

  2. Brava! starting with the question catches me. I also love the informal, conversational tone. makes the piece very approachable.

    taking a well known myth and spinning it like this is ekphractic! the regenerative nature of the liver is something the greeks may have been aware of experientially. For the myth, it becomes a symbol of regeneration. in your poem, the voice is not taken but “borrowed”, used for and by others and then returned.

    they are both heroic myths – and i love this about the piece.

    Look at you, getting your poetry all on and everything… 🙂

    keep it up. Do i see a poetry chapbook in the offing?

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