THE COMMISSION

Her ample solitude 
no trespasser profane;
no artifice infringe
the glory of Her sun.

An ocean of gray doves
burns in Her opened eyes,
whose wisdom's word compels
the science of the breeze.

Wherefore, this slender hand
shall track the thieving night,
fetter absconding death,
pillage the hunter's spoils;

Commissioned to retrieve
lost pledge of timeworn love.

-by Wayward Disciple

THE TRIAL

No one would drop her sleep,
No one her dream unveil;
My love would tear her milk,
Unleash her bare desire.

Her smallest breath undone,
Celestial fires uproot;
The running of Spring's sun
Wind down into the earth.

Until this leaf display
The emblem of her peace,
I never rest my soul,

Consider no release;
Request not, nor require,
That which would make me whole.

-by Wayward Disciple

PLUTO AND PROSERPINA

c. 1622 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

LO FERM VOLER

Firm desire that doth enter
My heart will not be hid by bolts nor nailing
Nor slanderers who loose their arms by lying
And dare not fight with even twigs and switches.
Yea, by some jest, there where no uncle enters
I'll have my joy in garden or in chamber.

I remember oft that chamber
Where, to my loss, I know that no man enters
But leaves me free as would a brother or uncle.
I shake in ev'ry part except my nails
As doth a child, for fear, before the switch
For fear I shall not come into her arms.

- Arnaut Daniel, 12th cent. (translation from the Provencal by Ezra Pound)

COURTLY LOVE - THE EMBRACE

I'VE LATELY BEEN IN GREAT DISTRESS

I've lately been in great distress
over a knight who once was mine,
and I want it known for all eternity
how I loved him to excess.
Now I see I've been betrayed
because I wouldn't sleep with him;
abed or clothed my mind won't rest
to think of the mistake I made.

How I wish just once I could caress
that chevalier with my bare arms,
for he would be in ecstasy
if i'd just let him lean his head against my breast.
I'm sure I'm happier with him
than Blanchaflor with Floris was.
My heart and love I offer him,
my mind, my eyes, my life.

Handsome friend, charming and kind,
when shall I have you in my power?
If only I could lie beside you for an hour
and embrace you lovingly -
know this, that I'd give almost anything
to have you in my husband's place
but only under the condition
that you swear to do my bidding.

- Countess of Dia, born c. 1140 (translation from the French by Meg Bogin)

NIGHTS OF JASMINE AND THUNDER

Nights of jasmine & thunder,
torn petals,
wind in the tangled kadamba trees-
nothing has changed.
Spring comes again and we've
simply grown older.
In the cane groves of Narmada River
he deflowered my
girlhood before we were
married.
And I grieve for those far-away nights
we played at love
by the water.

- Shilabhattarika, 9th century (translation from the Sanskrit by Andrew Schelling)