Hades' Sonnets for Sinead O'Conner
Death of Orpheus (Archaic)
If Gods who rule the realm below,
Grant one more wish to hear my song.
Yet again will weep Pluto, his guile is strong.
With a balled so sweet of divine tempo.
If I fail, my heart in Hades I shall bestow--
My soul I thrust to the tip of his prong.
Like love in hell, my bride does not belong.
Release her I beg, from death’s chateau.
What but melodic cries from the son of Apollo,
Must the dead heed until time comes to end?
I command you Maenads, his notes to follow,
This gentle musician -- silence his song of sorrow.
Allow you must not another note to descend,
However it may seem his plight transcends.
Death of Orpheus (Contemporary)
“If Gods who rule the realm below
Grant one more wish and hear yet another song.
Shall Pluto weep again (my lyre is strong)
With a balled so bitter-sweet, no up-beat tempos?
If I fail, my soul to Hades I’ll bestow,
My heart in trust to redeem this wrong.
Like sunlight in hell, my bride does not belong.
Here in the dark. Release her from Death’s chateau!”
What but melodic cries from the son of Apollo,
Must the dead heed until time comes to its end?
I command you, Maenads each note to follow.
Silence this gentle musician’s song of sorrow.
You must not allow another note to descend,
Rip him apart head, heart and limb.
Copyright © 2014 by Matthew Emery The rhyme scheme of the octave is the standard abba abba; the sestet, however, presented here, is a somewhat unusual variation: bcb bcc.
