Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HEROINES by KAREN SWENSON

First Line: THE HEROINES LIVED WITH THEIR HUSBANDS'
Last Line: AND DROWNED IN THE ATTIC.
Subject(s): ATTICS; HEROISM; WOMEN; HEROES; HEROINES;
The heroines lived with their husbands'
shelved principles
in an attic of ideals,
kept dusted the broken bowls of justice, honor,
all men hold the best
and kept in the quiet reservoir of womanhood,
a still lake where
they leaned from the shore and saw
not their faces but their faith,
because what you cannot be
must still belong to you.

The heroines kept the attics clean
because they believed
the attic was Nirvana,
that man could alchemize them into inexistence,
but they were only caretakers,
dusters of undone deeds,
only ladies adrift in the lake.
Ophelia, innocence offended, sang bawdy songs
and drowned in the attic.



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