DIDO AND EMMA

 

The blue tilbury of Emma Bovary

approached the path to the underworld   

lined with tall poplars, white poppies 

and marauding panthers.

A path cleared by Aeneas'

golden wand.

There Emma came across Dido.

Both cried. Both resolved

to undo their same fate:

black poison from white melancholy.

The blue tilbury came back

from Tartarus through an orange mist

shrouding the tall poplars, 

the white poppies

and the black panthers, mute.

Dido and Emma. 

Both plucked each other's roses. 

Both sang.

A lute is calling another lute

like mirthful roosters at dawn.