The Gardens of Adonis
If Venus, laying the body of her lover
on a bed of lettuce (in the arbour, yes, Cupid
there too), had any idea of the import of the thing –
on a bed of lettuce (in the arbour, yes, Cupid
there too), had any idea of the import of the thing –
that later, in the sultry Dogdays,
in order to honour the adolescent god,
women of Phoenicia would sow seeds of lettuce
in order to honour the adolescent god,
women of Phoenicia would sow seeds of lettuce
into sherds, baskets, little cups,
the bottoms of earthenware pots
the bottoms of earthenware pots
that with their false flourish in June sun,
their quick withering (them having no roots)
and being thrown into seas, into fountains,
their quick withering (them having no roots)
and being thrown into seas, into fountains,
she was forever robbing Love of its consort
Lasting – then maybe she’d have lain him on
laurel instead, making of myth a different thing.
Lasting – then maybe she’d have lain him on
laurel instead, making of myth a different thing.
But both were always up against Death, remember,
from the very start – his boar, her rival in the nether
grove, by the river, the way it held him down
from the very start – his boar, her rival in the nether
grove, by the river, the way it held him down
the length of its nine cool loops.