Long ago when men were free
From all sorrow and sickness
The first woman they made was She,
After the fire from Prometheus.
They gave her guile,
They gave her finesse
They gave her style,
They gave her a dress
They gave her beauty,
They gave her grace
They gave her all the gifts
Of the female race
And when she was born,
They gave her an urn,
Oh to hold and never open
And she was warned,
By a voice quite stern,
That to behold the inner ocean
Of all the secrets of the world in depth,
Of Good and Evil, of Life and Death,
Would unleash such a plague
Ne’er before seen upon all mankind
That would not cease nor break
Ere they restore the long-gone fallen design.......
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Author:
Rose of Sharon (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: May 23rd, 2025 08:29
- Comment from author about the poem: Both Pandora’s Box and the Genesis account tell of the downfall of mankind via the first woman created, which I think is kind of hilarious given the gender of the authors, anyways Pandora’s Box is one of my favorite myths. Thus here I invoke the Muse Calliope (Greek Muse of Epic Poetry), my username’s namesake.
- Category: Fable
- Views: 4
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett, Poetic Licence
Offline)
Comments3
A most lovely poem of myth and the metaphor always got me. If you think of opening a woman's box many plagues may ensue physical as well as emotional. A delightful read and to pair it with Prometheus and fire (passion) it gets even hotter. This one could have been for over 18 indeed.
Thank you very much! You're right about the euphemistic meaning; it adds an extra layer of complexity that I didn't realize was there before. That's why I love mythology so much; it's full of rich depths of meaning that reveal themselves the more you contemplate 🕊️ 🐦🔥 🐲
Wonderfully written write if myth which also apply to in the real world. The power of the woman unleashed, with a touch of passion thrown in, enjoyed the read
Thank you!
You are very welcome
I recall reading somewhere that Eve is a symbol for the sexual energy, through which we were tempted and then fell.
I read something like this too in an article about St. Augustine on Edspace website
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