Poetry
women poets as cupbearers
Rebecca Weigold
issue four
after Mrs. Wells as ‘Hebe’ by James Northcote (EN) 1805
come close under mortal moon. touch
our cheeks of pomegranate, the opulent
gauze of gown. mystical eagle tugs
impatiently at shoulder’s fallen veil. come,
inhale dark tresses of honeysuckle and
white musk. lid of bronze chalice is
loosed, releases its first breath, tantalizes
as crisp as the freshly inked page.
serpents slither on the calyx. gods
salivate. but what we offer is yours alone.
tilt the goblet’s rim toward your longing.
kiss the chalice where honey gently swirls.
savour the flesh of earth that brings forth
the blooms of our labours: apple, jasmine,
mediterranean scrub. drink from the
splendor of the glass the depth of our
hunger, our love, our pain, our fears; ours
is the cup of light and darkness, the most
sacred of libations. this is the grail from
which pours the nectar of the divine. But
what stirs in its belly is yours, while gods
sadly settle for ambrosia-laden dreams.
About the Author
Rebecca Weigold studied Theatre and English, specializing in poetry, at Northern Kentucky University. She has held positions including Editorial Assistant at F&W Publications in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Editor at ITP/Southwestern Educational Publishing, also based in Cincinnati. Her poetry has been featured in or is forthcoming in publications such as BlazeVox, The Ekphrastic Review, Rat’s Ass Review, Tipton Poetry Journal, The Tishman Review, and others. She is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Additionally, she is proud to have participated in the renowned Uptown Poetry Slam on multiple occasions, hosted by Marc Smith at the historic Green Mill in Chicago.
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