I had hired him for an hour in the afternoon
though gigolos aren't my usual thing.
I'm an Egyptian tomb of a woman.
Scarabs whisper to me about daylight.
He was intense, dark, beautiful,
with a nemes crown and a heqa scetpre.
I turned to dust in his Cyprinum-scented arms,
and wobbled, satisfied, into Duat.
________
for Flash 55 at my BFF's place.
nemes crown
heqa sceptre
Duat--the Egyptian realm of the dead
First - "I'm an Egyptian tomb of a woman. / Scarabs whisper to me about daylight." is drop-dead great.
ReplyDeleteAnd the "renting" for an hour gigolo metaphor that ends in your annihilation, well, just amazing.
This piece has such a feel of ancient magic to it, of something deep in our genetic code that resonates with a reality we could never have experienced...or could we? It also makes dreams seem more real than our waking lives. Those last two lines of the first stanza...well, you know how good they are. Your ability to use detail to carry a much fuller emotional load than normal description,and your feel for what hides in our dreams and hearts has never been more vivid or assured. Just an exquisite 55, Shay--I love every word, and thank you for making this a kickass weekend.
ReplyDeleteVery kickass! And I love your labels as much as the 55.
ReplyDeleteFrom the title to every line and label, this is magnificent my friend!!!
ReplyDeleteNo Bangles? Or would that have been too predictable? You saved me from having to look the rest up, but I was curious about cyprinum.
ReplyDeleteI first thought the first stanza was my favorite, but the second one was fabulous too. The image of dusting off his arms, by an Egyptian tomb of a woman--that stuck with me.
Like qbit, I was astonished by the same lines. A spectacular 55.
ReplyDeleteOh. I could not imagine where you were heading with the rented gigolo (thinking I might join you) alas it was a trip to the crypt. And a most entertaining 55. Galen would have given it a 10.
ReplyDeleteThis...it's a glimpse that mesmerizes, each image clear and concrete, even bouncing between word and definition.
ReplyDeleteOooo...I love this. I can't copy a single favorite line because it would be the whole poem. "Egyptian tomb of a woman...Wow!
ReplyDelete