Eurydice
by Cara Maines
Long ago I was enchanted by love
The world opened up before me like a crocus
Petals yearning, straining for great heights
And at the cusp of blossom, it snapped shut
Even the loneliest girl in the world wouldn’t come here
Here it is dark hour after hour
We don’t use the words ‘day’ or ‘night’
There isn’t really any use to time
When all you have is eternity
In the river sometimes I gaze at my reflection
My hair curls underneath the veil
The flowers from my garlands never wilted
I will be a bride forever
The wound on my heel left a scar
And though it does not hurt—
Nothing hurts, here—
I am haunted by a feeling I cannot place
And there I feel it
Orpheus is enchanted by love still
In that world there is nothing but music, and poetry, and yearning
Yearning is the year-round, full-time occupation for the living
They do nothing but long, and seek, and strain
They do nothing but drink from the stream of desire,
Water that satiates no thirst
What did you come here for?
Did you think I had something to offer you?
These are things you know already, I am sure of it
The trip to hell was not so bad
The second time around
It felt like coming home again
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