I unfolded my wings,

tenderly,

whitely,

and floated above the innocent clouds.

My messengers, birds,

perched on my shoulders,

whispered to me

secrets of the world.

Wherever my winged foot touched the earth,

a scarlet blossom sprung,

and green dazzled the eye.

I walked through labyrinths and learned

their playful, mysterious wisdom and power.

The blinding beauty of the Libyan goddess –

my sisters gave me the mask of Hecate.

We roamed around,

revered,

worshiped,

by women, mothers, crones.

We had one blood that we spilt every moon

to give life.

The serpent bracelets,

arrows of justice,

poison of immortality.

We shed skin with the end of the year,

and grew a new one,

again,

again,

and eternally.

I used to like mirrors,

the beauty that smiled back at me.

They are shattered now,

like I shatter mortal dreams.

Unveiled, forcefully, by Poseidon,

I hide my eyes.

Traitress Athena gave me my hissing locks.

I am a queen,

banished,

feared

and demeaned.

The feminine wisdom, untamable power,

forbidden,

forgotten,

refused.

Ssshhh, you deceitful creatures,

stop tickling my ears, bite your flickering tongues,

keep your poison!

I am a witch that revolts against power,

the spear that comes to kill me.

They see only a devouring beast,

they see me last.

Hardened hearts, souls and faces

every night haunt my dreams.

Am I guilty of seeing?

Men with arms raised,

ready to strike,

eyes fixed,

swords glinting aggressively.

Petrified anger.

Men with arms clasped,

fallen on their knees,

imploring.

Fossilized fear.

Men with a light frozen smile

on their lips

in yielding apprehension

of their destiny.

Old, young, beardless. Stunned. Stones are eternal.

And among these stones I stand a stone.

My wide lidless eyes,

all knowing,

all seeing,

capture the abyss of truth,

look them through.

I hide on a lonely island,

away from everyone,

but they keep coming,

they keep finding me.

Why? Why? WHY?

What is my death worth to them?

Stones are but stones.

Sisters,

silence,

submission,

serenity!

Hide your glaring eyes, gnashing teeth,

and forget the fury!

The far roaming wisdom and force will arise.

The silent snakes,

will hang down on my pale cheeks;

they will stop hissing, whispering,

both the truth and the lies,

and the look of stone

will kill the last enemy.

And from my carmine, poisonous blood,

life will spring.

My winged disgrace and pride

will capture the sky.