Sunday, October 07, 2007

Lot's Wife

Look how she stands, a statue poised midturn
with horror on her glassy frozen features
and hands half-raised. She saw her city burn
and vainly tried to shield her sight. The preachers
claim curiosity's the fatal fault
that made her stop, that made her look behind
and turned her to a statue made of salt.
But exile can be terribly unkind,
some flowers die, uprooted from the loam
in which they grew. In desperate flight, she felt
she couldn't bear to live so far from home.
Salt girl, you weep with every drop of rain
your face grows blurred, your hands dissolve and melt.
Salt-water tears will wash away your pain.

21 comments:

Rethabile said...

Yes, lovely. Very.

Paul Squires said...

This story of Lot's wife has always interested me. Surely God knew already that she would turn back. But this is sweet poem, catching the implied cruelty of turning her to salt, dried tears.
The rhythm and structure are a little prosaic, but the idea is poetic.

Anonymous said...

Touching and beautiful, and very understanding to the unsung wife of Lot. Looking at the fire of God destroying Sodom is like looking at the face of the Medusa. We are turned into stone and salt by the horror and the power of it. But your poetic explanation is more satisfying by far .

Ya Haqq!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

A really beautiful poem. If you'd like to see another artist's rendering of the Lot story, go here:

http://rwellsrwells.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html

more will be revealed...

Rethabile said...

2nd reading, and still lovely. The rhyming rocks.

paisley said...

i just knew it!!!! this was so right on for the prompt!!!! so good i wish i had written it myself!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Very, very well done. Excellent use of form.

Jessica said...

Truly lovely -- I like the details in which you bring the salt to a logical conclusion -- salt tears, the (not) growing of flowers. Well done!

wendy said...

I like that in losing face..she loses her pain.

Tumblewords: said...

Wonderful new words on the old time tale. This poem is full of originality and thoughtful processing. Love it!

Anonymous said...

I always felt sorry for Lot's wife. Your poem is nice - well crafted.

Holly Mac said...

It's such a beautiful and poetic story, a tale that (I think) often resonates with women. Sometimes, the consequences of not letting go are much more damaging.

I love what you have done with this story. It's wonderful.

Anonymous said...

"The preachers
claim curiosity's the fatal fault
that made her stop, that made her look behind
and turned her to a statue made of salt."

Sigh! This resonates with females..

jillypoet said...

I love the repetition of "salt girl." Your telling of this biblical tale is great. It says more than the original, so much so that I need to go back and read it again. Thanks.

Crafty Green Poet said...

I like your subtle rhymes and your reimagining of this story, which has often fascinated me too.

daisies said...

so very lovely ...

Clare said...

Really beautiful! I love how you described why she turned and stayed, instead of going into exile -- how "she felt/ she couldn't bear to live so far from home." This brought tears to my eyes. And thank you for telling me about this lovely poetry site!

Odessa said...

wow. so very lovely. like wendy, i love this line: Salt-water tears will wash away your pain. perfect for the prompt!

Anonymous said...

Lovely, particularly the last few lines linking rain/tears/dissolving...

Rob Kistner said...

Tiel -

What a wonderful transformation of your piece "Lot's Wife". The heightened clarity and impact of the revision was well worth the effort in re-birthing it...

FROM: "Salt girl, you weep with every drop of rain
your face grows blurred, your hands dissolve and melt.
Salt-water tears will wash away your pain."

TO: "She weeps salt tears with every drop of rain;
her hands are blurred and softened by the water,
but peace will come in time to Sodom's daughter,
a statue formed of slow-dissolving pain."

Superb revision! I am drawn especially to the line -- "...a statue formed of slow-dissolving pain." Well done, and thank you for sharing this. ;)

...rob