She thought it had healed
When she had been carved onto stones
Or had it? Can a stone capture a woman’s tears?
What a grotesque image they’d carved
She’d felt alienated from herself.
She pondered over her wounds
That healed in the inky parchment of nights.
But the each passing day gouged
A deeper wound into her all seeing eyes.
For centuries she’d borne injury
When Poisdon ravaged her
Was it Athena’s curse?
Or simply a myth invented by
Perseus who beheaded her,
Leaving blotches of blood
To soak an earth that heaved.
Now, that she woke up from slumber
She couldn’t bear the earth heaving,
Nature crippled
Beyond repair.
Her voice couldn’t find words
From aeons she’d stood silent
Listening to the echoing laughter of men
That froze her insides.
She wondered if men dreaded her.
How their sly tales had chained her in a myth!
Was it her laughter that silenced man
Or vice-versa?
The omnipotent eye
Wouldn’t be biased:
Perchance her story’d be rewritten,
Medusa would then break
The misogynist shackles that fettered her stride.
She’d seize the pen to rewrite
A history, written by men,
Whose pen sought power
To shape all
That was not masculine.
© Mumtaz N Khorakiwala
18-1-2021
Picture courtesy: Dailyartmagazine
Greek mythology is filled with characters like Medusa the Gorgon, a mythological character dreaded by men. According to Hesoid’s Theogony or Ovid’s Metamorphosis if men looked at her they froze. An alternative interpretation posits that her beauty mesmerised not pertrified men.
A parallel tale states that she was a beautiful maiden ravaged by Poisdon and Athena sought revenge by transforming Medusa into a monstrous woman with snakes as locks who had the power to turn men into statues.
Medusa along with her sisters Euryale and Sthenno stand out as grotesque,
Powerful words
Superb poem, Mumtaz. 💚💚💚Especially loved these lines:
‘ She’d seize the pen to rewrite
A history, written by men,
Whose pen sought power
To shape all
That was not masculine.’
Such a stunning rendition!
Thank you for appreciating this piece.
Such an amazing poem!
Absolutely beautiful!
Amazing work… Too good
This one is a masterpiece!
Thank you for your encouraging words 💚.
Brilliant ma’am. 💚💚
Sonali thank you dear.
A beautifully interpreted tale. True History should be rewritten from the point of view of women.
Thank you Sarita, yes I believe language is gendered.