WALKING WITH MEDUSA
by Robin Dawn Hudechek
I walk secluded beaches,
my robes flowing around my legs.
Only here do I unwind the cloth that binds
my hair. Only here do I lift my eyes.
The clouds are as lovely and fearless
in their shifting colors when I look at them
as they will be the day I am released,
the day I am gone.
I would like you to take my hand.
Close your eyes if you have to
when snakes wind around your neck.
In their slow and calming hiss
there is love in all of their heads,
for the one who will pause
to admire the beauty in my face
my lithe body, my seamless walks
through forests. Take my hand, I beg you.
Walk with me. Talk with me
about the blackberries you picked
from the field behind your home.
Offer them to me in handfuls,
tell me stories of their planting and growing,
of the sun I rarely see.
Kiss me, cup my cold breasts in your hands.
Let the blackberries flow scarlet
from your fingers to my lips.
Close your eyes if you have to.
IMAGE: Medusa mosaic (Roman, 2nd-3rd Century).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robin Dawn Hudechek received her MFA in Creative Writing, poetry at UCI, and has taught writing at the university and college level for eleven years. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications, including Caliban, Cream City Review, Blue Arc West: An Anthology of California Poets, Cadence Collective: Year One Anthology, Gutters and Alleyways: Perspectives on Poverty and Struggle, and in Ghost Walk, a chapbook. Currently, she is compiling her first full-length collection of poems.
Congratulations on the honor of being Freshly Pressed. I love this poem.
Thank you, Mary!
Reblogged this on Beyond All Eyes and commented:
Greatness
Thank you so much! I am honored that you reblogged it!
Loved it!
Thank you, Stuart!
The picture is very beautiful art work
I agree. It is very beautiful!
It was very pretty. It is kind of an inspiration because i love art it can express your felling and the picture is a true work of art .
The Roman Medusa Mosaic pictured here was chosen by Silver Birch Press. They have such great taste in artwork, and I am honored that they chose to publish my poem with this picture!
Beautifully written, Robin. I found the repeated “close your eyes if you have to” incredibly haunting. -Christy
Thank you so much, Christy!!
Beautiful
Thank you, Shelby!
Nicely penned!
Thank you, Hannah!
I like this post
I’m glad you like it. Thank you!
Hauntingly beautiful!
Thank you so much!
Brilliant poetry, some great sensual images.
Thank you. I am honored by your comments!
interesting twist on her beauty.
Thank you!
Reblogged this on Wonderland and commented:
!! I like this so so much
Thank you! I am honored that you reblogged this post!
Congratulations Robin! I hope it’s the first of many honors.
Thank you, Robbi!!
Although Medusa is usually portrayed as evil, there is a story of a woman that is untold and how she became a snake haired monster. The poem gives an incite into the loneliness and torture she suffers.
Thank you!!
Thank you so much!
Inspiring! You have a great talent
Thank you very much!!
I am deeply honored and grateful to all of you who have taken the time to read the poem and share your thoughts and comments. Thank you again!!
This was a beautiful poem. I watched clash of the titans recently and it told the story of how medusa became a monster. In your poem I really felt the loneliness and longing of the myth just wanting to be loved
Thank you, Pottsy! I have never seen Clash of the Titans and will have to go watch sometime. I have always felt Medusa was an incredibly lonely figure with deep longing. And that was what I hoped people would see in the poem. Thank you, again!
You have captured a side of Medusa that I never imagined.
Thank you very much, T. Gene Davis, for stopping by and commenting on my poem!
Very nice poem. Medusa is one of my favorite mythological characters so I like this alot. 😊
Thank you very much! I’m very happy you like the poem. Medusa has always fascinated me, too! 🙂
Very interesting
It never occurred to me till now that Medusa was lonely
Thank you for reading the poem, and for your comments! When I started writing the poem, I kept hearing the voice of an isolated and incredibly lonely figure, and that was the Medusa that wanted to come out in this poem.
Reblogged this on D. Blaine's Space.
Thank you very much, Blaine Robert Parker! The picture of the forest is lovely. I’m truly honored that you reblogged my poem here!
Thank – you
Very well written! Please keep writing!
Sophia, thank you very much for reading my poem, and for your very nice comments!
You’re welcome!)))
Interesting how you capture a myth and make her seem life-like. Nice poem.
Thank you very much, Sean! I’m very happy you liked the poem!
Robin,
This is a well-written poem I enjoyed very much.
Best Wishes
John
Thank you!! I’m glad you enjoyed the poem. Best wishes to you, too, John!
This poem was great. I read it while Miles Davis “Sanctuary”(Bitches Brew) just happen to be playing. Just lovely.
Thank you so much, Lace! After reading your comments, I listened to “Sanctuary.” An amazing, amazing piece!! So powerful and moving. Thank you again!
This is wonderful and beautiful 🙂
Thank you, rosemacabre! 🙂
I never expected to find myself longing for Medusa to find her own happy ending quite so much before!
[I included your piece in a post about (some of) my favorite poems from this series–but seems there’s a known bug preventing my site from doing pingbacks. So I’m leaving the comment manually — “old school”-style. Thanks for your wonderful work!]
Hi Alice! Thank you for including this poem in your post! I am so happy you liked the poem! I have always felt there was another side to Medusa, rarely explored, but this was just a feeling I had until I sat down to write the poem. Then, the voice of a suffering Medusa who was much more than a monster asserted herself. Thank you for your thoughtful comment! 🙂
Enjoyed this poem very much, thank you for sharing
Thank you very much for reading the poem and for your very nice comments! 🙂
[…] Walking with Medusa, by Robin Dawn Hudechek (I never expected to find myself longing for Medusa to find her own happy ending quite so much before.) […]
Thank you again, Alice for providing this link and posting my poem on your blog! 🙂
Robin this is an excellent poem! I was greatly impressed by your ink!Thank you for sharing
Thank you for reading it, Sofia! 🙂