Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty

After 9/11 I slept but did not dream,
like echidna, spiny anteater.
In the rubble and ash,
half-nymph, half-serpent
I birthed chthonic monsters,
terror, fear, xenophobia, jingoism.
After a time the Goddess Menosmene,
guardian of memory
took my hand
led me back to the dreamtime.
I am in recovery.


Written for:

ID: 1679094   (Rated: ASR) a little bit of poetry contest   A fun poetry contest to expand your brevity. by Radler Zpheitor

The prompt was a picture of an aardvark. My mind moved from aardvark to anteater to Echidna the Greek Goddess....this poem followed. I read that the spiny anteater sleeps but has no REM sleep--and therefore doesn't dream.