My Divine Comedy

The journey through life.

My Divine Comedy

Halfway through the journey of my life

dark chanted breaths of deceit

from Satan’s throat

settled upon frosted cold glass hearts

where no warm blood has ever flowed.

They who did his bidding

from the nine creviced circles of hell’s sewer

felt no remorse.

They dragged me

into the inferno

that Alighieri foretold

from his papist pen

would have a happy ending,

but was no laughing matter.

And still I am but helpless

to the buffeting of their command,

the insincerity of their touch

the emptiness of their kisses.

But for all my journey through

hell, and the seven terraces

of mount purgatory,

I will rise again to paradise,

that Empyrean Heaven,

where I will find the courtly love of 'Beatrice'

as I revolved with the scorpion’s sting,

and I will again look upon

the wonder of  the stars.

 

23/09/14

Author's Note

Reviews

[Pryde Foltz]

A splendid interpretation and homage to Dante. Alas the untouchable beauty and innocence of Beatrice, only remains so as long as she is untouched.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thanks Pryde. Beartrice married someone else but Dante never stopped pining after her.

[Pryde Foltz]

That's only because he never got her. Yep … that is how these things work. Otherwise she would have morphed into an entirely different image.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Such unrequited love spawned so much classic poetry!

[Pryde Foltz]

That it does … there's comfort in that.

[Lyn Anderson]

When you write like this, it is bare, it is raw, and it is fabulous. Feel the seethe in the underneath.

[MomzillaNC]

This reads almost like something out of Dante or Milton. It's dark, but still ends on a note of hope.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you. It mirrors Dante in that the three Canto's end with stars!

[MomzillaNC]

You're welcome.

[Lydia Shutter]

WOW! Dante himself would be honored at the references to "The Inferno"! A romantic tale of woe and yet it holds great promise and hope for the future. Clever writing here, John. Lydi**

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Lydi!

[Leslie Philibert]

Enjoyed this too, well woven with literary references that fit the theme perfectly, fine job

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thanks Leslie. Borrowed heavily from Dante!

[Frieda P]

You pen this medieval genre so well....Beatrice was the embodiment for Dante's love...there is divine splendor and some promise in your pain John.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Beartrice Portinari married someone else but Dante was infatuated with her till the end, poor fool!

[Frieda P]

We're all fools when it comes to love, no?

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Given my track record, me more than most!

[Frieda P]

I'm not going there....you're in a bad mood already!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

True........