Unicorn
I am my secret self
I am the secret wood
I am the seen and the unseen things
the heard and the never heard.
If you wish to conquer me
(and I know you do)
four trials you must go through:
the quest, the chase, the capture,
and the taming too.
You, my questing knight
with your helmet and lance
glorious deeds will not win me
you have not a chance.
You, my eager hunter
following my trail
your arrows will fall from the air
you will not prevail.
I am a legend
I am a fable
I am your unrequited longing
for the sweet impossible.
For no impossibility
is sweeter than mine
excepting but one
that is the sweet divine.
Only pure love will win me
for only pure love is in me.
Dear lady, most chaste of womankind
I lay my tamed head upon your seated skirt
with all the love within me.
I am my secret self
I am the secret wood
I am the seen and the unseen things
the heard and the never heard.
If you wish to conquer me
(and I know you do)
four trials you must go through:
the quest, the chase, the capture,
and the taming too.
You, my questing knight
with your helmet and lance
glorious deeds will not win me
you have not a chance.
You, my eager hunter
following my trail
your arrows will fall from the air
you will not prevail.
I am a legend
I am a fable
I am your unrequited longing
for the sweet impossible.
For no impossibility
is sweeter than mine
excepting but one
that is the sweet divine.
Only pure love will win me
for only pure love is in me.
Dear lady, most chaste of womankind
I lay my tamed head upon your seated skirt
with all the love within me.
Tapestry The Lady and the Unicorn, 15th century, Musée du Moyen-Age, Cluny, Paris,
Hi Emma
ReplyDeleteThis is very deep and true.
I am enjoying your blog too.
That's nice to hear, Jeronimus, and thank you too for your appreciation on the poem.
DeleteYour poem is a beautiful awareness / appreciation of The Lady and The Unicorn. the tapestries are housed in the Medieval Museum in Paris. I spent a lovely afternoon with them last year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joceline, for your kind words. I have come to know and love these tapestries in reproduction and I think that it was their inner work on me which inspired my poem. How very fortunate you are to have seen them in the museum where they are housed.
DeleteO, Emma, such a beautiful poem. I love the Unicorn and your words so beautifully pay it homage. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ingrid, for your kind response!
DeletePerfection as always Em!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, dear friend. Love you!♥
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