"Muses Urania and Melpomene" by Louis de Boullogne‘Supplication to Erato and Melpomene’ and Other Poetry by K.S. Anthony The Society December 15, 2022 Beauty, Love Poems, Poetry 6 Comments . Supplication to Erato and Melpomene Erato, decked in crimson roses; green branches of myrtle, Help me forge the words to win her heart: My crippled pen can summon not the words that might make fertile Barren hours passing till we part. Her eyes are of the ancient jade; like cold December’s tide They throw me from the waves onto the shore. And though I’ve sought to capture her and failed as I’ve tried, Your, inspiration, muse, do I implore. Erato, decked in golden roses, with your arrows burning: Send a bolt and set her heart aflame. I listen for the whispered words that leave aloof hearts yearning: Carve into her aching heart my name. Her eyes are marbled peridot; like cold December’s wind They take me from Apollo’s sacred tree. And all I ask of you, O muse, is bid her take me in And cast affection’s eyes on only me. Erato, decked in purple roses, play upon the lyre Eros’ cozened song to make her mine. And let your father’s thunder roar commanding that desire Fill her heart with sweet Harmonia’s wine Her eyes were made by Artemis; like cold December’s night They overthrow my senses, though I seem Resistant to temptation, in her presence, I ignite: O rose-crowned muse, please set me in her dreams. Melpomene the cypress-crowned, you knew how this would end: You write the final act and wear the mask. And when the saddest lines are said, the curtain must descend And you must carry out your tragic task. So draw your dagger through my heart and as I pay the cost Let none who see that scene be dry of tears: Speak softly, muse, and whispering, tell of this lover lost, Who treading in love’s swordstorms disappeared. Melpomene, wine-hearted muse, I’ve stepped into the fray And every man who loves knows what awaits. The voyage of a lifetime is but shattered in a day By turning hearts of faithless, fickle fate. So, speak your fine-spun words of gold and voice what all must hear; Let those who might be tempted then think twice. And tell of he, who seeking love, did find when it appeared That love demands of all great sacrifice. Melpomene, who wears the grapes, I beg you stay the blade And hear the supplication of my heart: I have journeyed long and far and have often gone astray Spare me now! From her I’ll never part. Look upon these words I write, o Tragedy, discover, So I might find a way to slip the knife. Find in me, Melpomene, a strong and worthy lover: O tragic muse, spare hearts, spare love, spare life. . . Lines on the Autumnal Eclipse In the depth of winter skies __Where ancient bodies hover Moon to Sun will seem to die __When Earth divides the lovers And in the hour of its grief, __The sun will cease its burning, And starve the bough, the branch, the leaf __And leave the cold dawn yearning. In the depth of dying light __The moon will cry in sorrow Thinking that the longest night __Finds no relief tomorrow. Sun will freeze the stars to dust __Above to chain the hours. Moon will seem to turn to rust __Below will die the flowers. And beneath their broken hearts __We question and we wonder Where love ends and where love starts __And what tears it asunder. If there meet two hearts, two lips __Will Earth be their undoing? Will they only be eclipsed: __A shadow’s pause in wooing? As Earth’s shadow fades from night __Rekindling their desire Sun takes Moon into its light __And Moon sets Sun on fire. In the dark of winter skies __That oft leave passion covered Love has often seemed to die __But none divide the lovers. . . K.S. Anthony is an NYC-based writer and occasional marketing executive. His website is http://www.ksanthony.net NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 6 Responses Paul Buchheit December 15, 2022 “Supplication to Erato and Melpomene” is beautiful, K.S. Thank you! Reply K.S. Anthony December 15, 2022 Thank you for your kind words, Paul. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson December 15, 2022 Exquisite words and phrases that are evocative of the subjects in both poems. “Swordstorms” captured my fancy in “Supplication…” as a wonderful composite word. I particularly like the happy ending of “Lines of the Autumnal Eclipse:” Love has often seemed to die but none divide the lovers.” “Eclipse is an interesting word, since I always think of an “autumnal equinox.” Reply Margaret Coats December 16, 2022 The rich imagery of the “Supplication” is especially attractive because new words in each stanza are carefully chosen to embellish the double triadic structure of the poem. It is beautifully done–a credit to the lover, his beloved, and both Muses. Still, one little grammar error in stanza 5 catches my attention. We should read “tell of him, who seeking love, did find.” This is a very common mistake, because writers think the two pronouns (“him” and “who”) should agree. However, they must agree only in gender and number. The case of each pronoun is determined by its use in the sentence. “Him” is in the objective case because it is the object of the preposition “of.” “Who” is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the verb “did find.” Both possibilities for agreement in case (“he who” and “him whom”) are wrong. “Seeking” is not a verb in need of a subject, but a participial adjective that refers back to both “him” and “who.” I am sorry to devote the bulk of my comment on these fine poems to grammar, but correct grammar is essential to good poetry. Poets may deliberately misuse grammar to make a point, but I don’t think that was the intent here. “Autumnal Eclipse” also has a tiny grammar mistake robbing the final line of its full effect. It should say “none divides” because all the “one” words (“one,” “none,” “everyone,” “someone”) are singular. “None divides” means “no one [or no thing] divides.” Omit the “s” in a singular ending only when the verb is in subjunctive mood (“let none divide the lovers”). But I believe the final statement here is intended as a simple declaration. Turning an eclipse into an event with the heavenly bodies personified is a brilliant concept, well worked out in the poem. You take care to make the personifications clear by treating “Earth,” “Sun,” and “Moon” as personal names except when you add “the” to indicate otherwise. Fabulous work that gives the feeling of ancient eclipse viewers who (not knowing what was happening) might have feared the death of a celestial light. Reply K.S. Anthony December 17, 2022 1) Touché, merci. 2) Typo (mine) alas. Reply Margaret Coats December 19, 2022 If you wish, you can have the website moderator make changes to your poem as published above. Find out how to contact him by clicking where it says “Read the SCP Comments Policy HERE.” He can also (at your request) delete my comment, your answer, and this answer to your answer. If you have him do that, I’ll re-post the part of my comment not related to grammar. Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Paul Buchheit December 15, 2022 “Supplication to Erato and Melpomene” is beautiful, K.S. Thank you! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson December 15, 2022 Exquisite words and phrases that are evocative of the subjects in both poems. “Swordstorms” captured my fancy in “Supplication…” as a wonderful composite word. I particularly like the happy ending of “Lines of the Autumnal Eclipse:” Love has often seemed to die but none divide the lovers.” “Eclipse is an interesting word, since I always think of an “autumnal equinox.” Reply
Margaret Coats December 16, 2022 The rich imagery of the “Supplication” is especially attractive because new words in each stanza are carefully chosen to embellish the double triadic structure of the poem. It is beautifully done–a credit to the lover, his beloved, and both Muses. Still, one little grammar error in stanza 5 catches my attention. We should read “tell of him, who seeking love, did find.” This is a very common mistake, because writers think the two pronouns (“him” and “who”) should agree. However, they must agree only in gender and number. The case of each pronoun is determined by its use in the sentence. “Him” is in the objective case because it is the object of the preposition “of.” “Who” is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the verb “did find.” Both possibilities for agreement in case (“he who” and “him whom”) are wrong. “Seeking” is not a verb in need of a subject, but a participial adjective that refers back to both “him” and “who.” I am sorry to devote the bulk of my comment on these fine poems to grammar, but correct grammar is essential to good poetry. Poets may deliberately misuse grammar to make a point, but I don’t think that was the intent here. “Autumnal Eclipse” also has a tiny grammar mistake robbing the final line of its full effect. It should say “none divides” because all the “one” words (“one,” “none,” “everyone,” “someone”) are singular. “None divides” means “no one [or no thing] divides.” Omit the “s” in a singular ending only when the verb is in subjunctive mood (“let none divide the lovers”). But I believe the final statement here is intended as a simple declaration. Turning an eclipse into an event with the heavenly bodies personified is a brilliant concept, well worked out in the poem. You take care to make the personifications clear by treating “Earth,” “Sun,” and “Moon” as personal names except when you add “the” to indicate otherwise. Fabulous work that gives the feeling of ancient eclipse viewers who (not knowing what was happening) might have feared the death of a celestial light. Reply
Margaret Coats December 19, 2022 If you wish, you can have the website moderator make changes to your poem as published above. Find out how to contact him by clicking where it says “Read the SCP Comments Policy HERE.” He can also (at your request) delete my comment, your answer, and this answer to your answer. If you have him do that, I’ll re-post the part of my comment not related to grammar.
