On the Loom of the Fates

The latest release from New Orleans poet, Gwyndyn Alexander, titled On the Loom of the Fates, approaches mythology with an empowering, feminist point of view. From Medusa being sent into exile for being a powerful woman to Helen of Troy's objectification, Ms. Alexander's book will no doubt ruffle a few feathers who cling to a patriarchal view of classic literature, while simultaneously fueling the feminist movement.

Below is a sample of what readers will encounter along the journey (published with permission from the author):

Medusa

Women's hair is dangerous
cover it up!
It might incite a man to lust,
turn him rock hard.

Women's eyes are dangerous
keep them modestly downcast!
They might make a man feel small
and insignificant.

Poor Medusa,
they feared you so much
they sent you into exile.
But they kept coming, didn't they?
They couldn't resist you.

You spent your days in your sculpture garden,
your gaze caressing those marble hips,
those hard muscles.
You had fine taste in statues.

But they kept coming.

Perseus came armed,
so terrified of the power of your eyes,
the allure of your flowing locks,
he couldn't even look in your direction.

He held up a mirror,
your first glance at yourself.
You were transfixed
by your own beauty
your own power.

You paid the price,
of course,
as all of us do
when men realize
who really
holds the power.

Our gaze can 
turn men to stone
our hair can
incite them to lust.

When we realize 
our beauty
our power
we will end 
our isolation
and rise up as one.

We are the serpents 
in the garden.
We are one.
One beauty.
One power.
Gorgons, all,
and proud.

 

Gwyndyn Alexander's works can be found on Amazon for 99 cents (free in you have Kindle Unlimited), and you can find her on Facebook, as well as Twitter.