In the late 1990s Carole Bone turned up in my daytime astrology class: red hair, big eyes, bright mind, very eager to learn, fast talker, very hard to keep her quiet. Irrepressible. A great student to teach. Ten years on, and I was at last emerging from my 2001-8 retreat. Carole had just left my house, staggering under the weight of a bag full of poetry books…. T.S.Eliot, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Dylan Thomas, Archy and Mehitabel, e e cummings, Anne Stevenson, Tom Leonard, Liz Lochead.….she had kept in touch throughout my time out, sending messages of support, sending me her poems to read. She is a born writer. I remember thinking that day “She’ll be getting published before long.”
Here is her first published poem.
Lilith and the Devil
My thoughts are dark like Lilith’s night
My dreams like Vincent’s crows in flight
Despair my enemy – my comrade
Are shadows real or just charade
The Devil grins and winks at me
Come dance with me and you will see
Dance with the Devil quick quick slow
Better the Devil that you know
Like an old friend he stands by me
And promises to set me free
Cut my bonds and free my soul
Just pay the ferryman his toll
Pandora’s box of dark delights
Tempt me in the Moon dark nights
Delicious pain won’t let me go
It comforts and torments me so
And when at last released to light
Still feel the teasing sultry night
Call me like a secret love
Iron hand in velvet glove
The Devil laughs and speaks to me
Of all these things to help me see
That angels know these things I know
For as above is so below
(From Wiki: Lilith (Hebrew: לילית Līlīt; Arabic: ليليث Līlīṯ) is a female Mesopotamian storm demon associated with wind and was thought to be a bearer of disease, illness, and death. The figure of Lilith first appeared in a class of wind and storm demons or spirits as Lilitu, in Sumer, circa 4000 BC. Many scholars place the origin of the phonetic name “Lilith” at somewhere around 700 BC despite post-dating even to the time of Moses.[1] Lilith appears as a night demon in Jewish lore and as a screech owl in Isaiah 34:14 in the King James version of the Bible. In later folklore, “Lilith” is the name for Adam‘s first wife.)
“Lilith and the Devil” was first published in The Mountain Astrologer magazine (USA) – Issue No. 140, Aug/Sept 2008
(Carole’s next poem to be published is “Sisterectomy” – in the Poetry Anthology 2010 published by United Press Ltd – not due out till Spring 2010)
carolebone@hotmail.co.uk
Carole’s Biog : “…. mother of two magic boys – wife for thirty three years to a Capricorn who is without doubt my rock. Would be astrologer; this subject has kept me (relatively) sane by helping me to understand the contradictory pulls existing in my nature between the home-loving dreamer and the restless seeker after knowledge. And – a shy Virgo Rising….“
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ps….I am delighted to report that ‘Lilith and the Devil’ was re-published on 16.3.10 on the Write Anything site as part of a fine reflective piece by Carole, offering advice to would-be poets. To read it, and some more comments on Carole’s work, check out
http://writeanything.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/lillith-and-the-devil/
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550 words copyright Carole Bone/ Anne Whitaker 2010
Licensed under Creative Commons – for conditions see Home Page
Lillith is one of my fav demigods to chat with in stories…. really enjoyed this poem.. well done!!
Thanks Annie! I really enjoy showcasing good work on my Guest Slot – and Carole is my first poet to be featured. I’ll pass on your positive comment, and maybe she’ll leave one herself.
Hi Annie
Thank you so much for your comments. I am chuffed you enjoyed Lilith and the Devil, I enjoyed writing about her too – so much rich imagery in the myths and legends. Delighted to be the first guest poet on Anne’s website too, an honour indeed!!
Carole
With both Lilith and the South Node in my 8th house, this poem really struck a chord with me — it reminded me of how beautifully tormented I used to feel (when I was much younger, of course).
I really enjoyed this — thanks for sharing such an amazing talent.
Hi LB
Thank you for sharing your insights and for your comments on Lilith. The poem has many different meanings for me and I used myth and personal experiences and feelings in writing it. I agree on those “beautifully tormented” times, sometimes when young and sometimes not so young ;P
Carole Bone
Hi just came across your blog and have been browsing around some of your entries and just wondering why you selected a WordPress site dont you find it impossible to do anything with? Been thinking about starting one.
Hi Dale
glad you’ve found my blog – do drop by again! You may notice that I have tried to keep my site clear, uncluttered and easy to navigate. I like WordPress and find the support excellent.
Anne
Lilith and the Secret of Tones
The ancient lore speaks of Lilith the foul
Sweet Sumerian, screeching night owl
Seeking dames of a feather
Casting sound spells, flocking together
Misty sirens hear them sing
We hear them all as our ears ring
Some of us fall upon the rocky beach
Some to flight beyond ocean’s reach
Mirror, mirror, oh mirror ball
Who is the fairest of them all?
Oh, but Sarah, lovely princess pure
Her voice the clearest, most dearest lure
In the rhyme of time, Lilith flies
Again and again reborn in disguise
Soft, gentle, as if to further
Something hidden within her worth her
The dream, the hope, the bidden foe
All man’s glory in the glow
Yet watch, for there is a chance of slight peace
As in McDonald’s tome of a beast
Oh better the whole story be told
And everyone be wiser, young and old
Watch, listen, feel the bold tone
You will be the rock…. or turned to stone
Stoned by Medusa, she herself did call
Her names were many before the fall
Adam’s first, or was it the moon’s child?
Tugged along tide, wet with ocean’s smile
Was she neutral with the angel’s Holy Grail
Or quite complicit with Samael’s tale?
Templars have wondered for generations past
To the present, the future, a reciprocal impasse
Androgyny’s children, the touch of orphan’s saint
Giving solace to those fumbling in ecstatic faint
Alchemic swirls of the aqua permanence
The philosophers gem surfacing to dance
Where is the treasure lost, hidden now-
Off the coast, in Oak Island’s frothy maw?
Even Lilith knows not where
The White Lady of Rosslyn keeps her chair….
In Rosslyn’s castle, and Holy Chapel Choir
Drifts the tone in stone of everyone’s desire
Played in the mist, along River Esk’s glen
Old Scotland, New Scotland, she taunts all men
With a treasure, it never fails to mesmerize
If one whispers just right by truth to wise
Some even say Lilith herself will appear
As the holy light, St Clair, so clear
Oh, but that may be the forgone illusion
The lighted law that leads to delusion
The cup that is full but never doth flows
Drawn in and out, pretending to glow
Aye, careful then, watch and learn
Forever her rhymes twist to turn
When you believe a part of you
Begs to love all…. of her crystal blue
Thanks, A Templar. I have passed your comment to Carole for her response. Anne
Hi A Templar
Wow what a wonderfully rich and vivid piece of writing which illustrates the many facets of Lilith lore beautifully. Thank you so much for posting it, I really enjoyed it. Perhaps you would enjoy my short article on what inspired my Lilith poem on this site :-
Lillith and the Devil « Write Anything : http://writeanything.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/lillith-and-the-devil/
Thanks again
Carole
Love this. Each verse drew me in deeper. I was especially taken with the verse that ends with, “like iron hand in velvet glove”. Congrats to Carole Bone and thanks, Anne, for the introduction!
Thank you Book Peeps – delighted you enjoyed it, the dark goddess archetypes are not as popular as some other feminine archetypes but ohhhh so rich I think.
Carole