Woman of Earth

she arose
out of soil and mud
                                 all but swept
                                 from shimmering light
Pandora, woman
of flesh and blood
                                 her heart the slow
                                 beat of the forest
naïve and curious
beautiful and mysterious
                                 whisper of a tree-
                                 top wind
with only a stoppered
jar of clay to her name
                                 imbued with nectar
                                 of the gods
happy to be given life
to become a wife

Kim M. Russell, 23rd January 2024

Pandora by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema 1881

Lillian is our host for Poetics this Tuesday at the dVerse Poets Pub, where we are writing prequels. She reminds us that some time back at OLN Live, Sanaa read aloud her poem that described what Medusa was like before her run-in with Athena, when her hair was turned into snakes. In essence, she created a prequel to the mythological character, Medusa.

Today, Lillian would like us to ‘consider famous characters from nursery rhymes, Aesops’ Fables, books many have read, or perhaps mythology’, and then ‘imagine a previous life for that character, in terms of what they were like before they became famous’.

There is no particular form required for our poems; no particular length or rhyme pattern. We just have to think about the possible background of a famous character or mythological figure and write a poem showing a different side to them. It must be a prequel.

Also linked to Susan’s prompt about characters in action over at What’s Going On? on 20th March 2024.

67 thoughts on “Woman of Earth”

  1. A beautiful prequel for Pandora, Kim! “Whisper of a tree top wind” and its placement is my favorite line here. And “all but swept from shimmering light” — a beautiful write! And of course, she herself is naive, curious and mysterious!

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  3. So beautifully done, Kim, and every aspect of her innocence and charm unsuspecting of what she had been given, what the myths would later blame her for, the ills of the world. Especially loved, “naïve and curious/beautiful and mysterious/whisper of a tree-/top wind.” Loved too the balancing of ground and sky with each alternating stanza, the movement shifting our gaze from the earth to the heavens, so nicely done.

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  4. This is incredibly exquisite, Kim! Wow! 😍 I especially admire this part; “whisper of a tree/top wind with only a stoppered/jar of clay to her name.” Yes! 💝💝

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  14. Lovely contrapuntal poem, Kim. I admire the way you have depicted the two Pandora’s, the curious human girl who just wanted a few simple things in life, and the girl who had the misfortune to have the eyes of the gods on her.

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  17. Kim, the way you weave Pandora’s origin, portraying her emergence from the earth and her connection to nature, sets a serene and mysterious atmosphere, building anticipation for the tale that unfolds. Gorgeous writing ❤

    ~David

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  24. I see her rise up, Kim, but wish there was a little more action for our prompt. The descriptions of her are powerful, however, and I sense that in the next minute the forces that put her here in time will have her move forward and act.

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