Pandora,
Created out of Earth by Hephaestus,
with unique gifts by other gods endowed
that, with those attributes, you might invest us
which deities were hitherto allowed.
Within a special casket there were sealed,
bound tightly round with knotted silken rope
which never to mankind should be revealed,
Greed, Vanity, Hate, Envy, Lust and Hope.
Consumed by burning curiosity
which, with compulsive force, assailed your mind
you oped the box and set those evils free
to curse the world and, thereby, all mankind.
Then, when you quickly closed the box again,
the only one was Hope that did remain.
Hugh Wyles, August 10th. 2008.
Oil on canvas “Pandora” (1882) by Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911)
Author notes
Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) was a French figure painter, an instructor at the Academie Julian in Paris and professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His paintings are usually single figures of beautiful women but he was also noted for his many fine portraits of prominent contemporary figures. He was a Commander of the Legion of Honour and a member of the Institut de France. He was a close collaborator of both William Bouguereau and Alexandre Cabanel.
In a list
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
-
Hm, why hope shouldn't be revealed to mankind?
I course when I open my pandora's box, which is my mouth.
Curiosity should be one of the items in that box, maybe replacing hope, then the box probably would have remained closed.
Excellent poem dad!!!
-
(Psst…Hugh. That girl is naked!) Whoever gave the lady the box must have thought she was immune to Human Nature. I think a man would have opened it as quickly. Thank goodness, Hope did manage to get out eventually. I know she did. I know her well. You write really well (she said in understatement).
-
Dear Hugh,
Hephaestus certainly started something when he created the infamous Pandora's box. I don't think many people would be able to resist the temptation of opening it, human nature being the way it is. So Pandora opened the box and let all the evil spirits out, but at least hope remained there.
I love the painting very much and I'm enjoying all the poems you've written from the various paintings.
Love Bea
-
Dear Hugh,
I love your poem on Pandora very much and the paintings is certainly very beautiful.
Joan and I have been to church together tonight, I'm at her place now. it was a great night.
I really enjoyed your poem.
Love Jen
-
I like art. I know nothing about it but I like it. Same as poetry. Poor Pandora has been unfairly vilified. Curiosity is within us all and the real villain is the critter, Hephaestus was it?...whoever put those things in the box. Good to see both sides of the King's personality working on the Pandora subject.
-
A most artfully told tale
of Pandora's infamous box
by the poetic story teller!
Aesthete
Adding your comment:
1 - 6 of 6
