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Ode to Lepidoptera
by Stephen M. Wilson
A mortal king and queen had three daughters. The two eldest were quite charming yet plain but the youngest, she inspired lauders. For Psyche’s beauty could drive men insane When Venus heard of this she was jealous. To get revenge she employed her winged son “No mere mortal should charm all the fellas!” Cupid agreed thinking it would be fun.
So two vials he filled from two fountains, but she startled him when she ope her eyes. Fated to the demon of the mountains, ‘cause no mortal would marry this prize. The god felt pity and yes love for her. Right then he devised a decorative scheme and created a honeymoon chamber where their hearts could form an unbridled team.
Meanwhile her sisters grew envious. They thought that their sister’s good luck was odd. But Psyche was still in her chrysalis, she knew not that she was bride to a god. She still thought she had a demon lover and her siblings planted a seed of doubt. Curiosity got the best of her, so she snuck a peek at him to find out.
Not a monster but a god in her bed. Cupid awoke to her quick joyous cry. “Love cannot dwell with suspicion.” He said. Hence he left her there and took to the sky. When she told her sisters they were spiteful for each thought that they could win Cupid’s love. Both were punished for this, which is rightful. Dashed to pieces when they crashed from above
Venus decreed three impossible tasks. With ants Cupid aided with the first one. Psyche dazed by the malevolent masque, the river god helped get the second done. But when she came to three she failed the test when like Pandora she opened the box. She dropped deep into a Stygian rest, thus possessed she fell onto some tussocks.
Lyre, lyre Cupid’s ballad afire, heady is the word for absolute love. Only Psyche could quench Love’s mad desire. Thus passionate legends are born thereof. But a box of beauty caused so much pain because mortal are curious creatures. Unlike Venus she really wasn’t vain, she just thought she could upgrade her features
Cupid feared her sleep would be eternal so closed it in the box to end her trance. Pleaded his case to the gods supernal. Venus relented and gave them a chance. Psyche herself was a box of beauty, a sweet butterfly wrapped in a cocoon. Then the chrysalis burst for all to see and its contents made even the gods swoon.
They just showed what staunch perseverance brings when those true lovers refused to demur. To heaven they soared on two pair of wings and in time had a beautiful daughter. Here is why Milton, Harvey, Keats and Moore in verse kept quick those mythic lovers’ lore: For ne’er more did love have a better measure then when Heart and Mind gave birth to Pleasure!
© Wilson, 2008
Stephen M. Wilson hails from Stockton, California, hometown of author, Dennis Etchison, and screen legend, Janet Leigh. His writings have been nominated for a handful of Rhysling Awards and garnered an Honorable Mention from Ellen Datlow in YBF&H 19 (2006). He’s been a featured author/poet in Wicked Karnival, Doorways’ (the now out-of- print #0), and Scifaikuest’s 5th Anniversary Issue. Recent and upcoming publications include: Space & Time Magazine; Hungur; Star*Line; The Shantytown Anomaly; The Magazine of Speculative Poetry; The Vault of Punk Horror; Shadow Box; Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic; The Queer Collection: Prose and Poetry 2008; Niteblade; Axxon; Universal Pathways; and Sun Shadow Mountain. Stephen is Poetry Editor of Doorways Magazine, coeditor with Deborah P. Kolodji of Dwarf Stars 2007, and is currently compiling several anthologies.