Aphrodite of Cyrene

For Creativity Challenge Day 21: Woman 
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For Poets United: Poetry Pantry #332
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Aphrodite of Cyrene

“Perfection,” some would
say, of this statue of a young
woman carved in white stone.
Curves so smooth
they beg to be touched.
Central attraction,
V of her womanhood,
beckoning.

She has no hands with which
to create a world
where she can breathe.
No arms with which
to hold that world to full
rounded breast, nor lips to kiss
its fevered brow, or croon
and rock it to rest. No mouth
to express her distress
at this single-aperture
existence. No teeth
or tongue to define or defend
her too narrow boundaries.

Oh, yes, there are those
who would say, “This is
Perfection.”

Elizabeth Crawford 12/11/2016

Notes: This was written over twenty-five years ago and published in a self-published chapbook, titled Singing Over the Bones in 2002. I am still involved in putting up daily prompts, and the words I choose often come from the news articles I read. This one came from a recent article about three different men, rapists who, even though found guilty, did not receive prison terms, but were put on probation. The last one, a college student, whose lawyer’s closing statement was that “we all make mistakes at his age, this could ruin the rest of his entire life.” The article went on to say that if this man serves his 20-month probation, his crime will be expunged from his record. My only question: And what of the lives of his victims? Are their lives somehow less important? Less viable, because after all, they are only women?

Note: Tomorrow, after noon, Sherry and I will be doing a chat about this Creativity Challenge and the role of the poet, writer, and artist in the face of upheaval and change. Please join us here:   http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/

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