when people break your trust you have a choice
become hard or become cautious
hard means you’re safe in your castle
an untouched treasure in the depths of the dungeon
cautious means you’re vigilant
eyes tracking every flicker and flinch around you
the closer they get
the tighter you’re wound
trust is a commodity worth hoarding
so when I say I trust you Love
I’m telling you that your presence makes me unwind
a subconscious reaction
to the safety you’ve come to represent
thief [poem]
no one noticed
when you stole the moon and
tucked it in your back pocket
most people are too focused on
the brilliance of the sun
to miss the lunar glow
a prayer for wisdom [poem]
Athena
goddess of the good decision
hear our prayer
lead our thoughts to the solutions
best suited to our goals
a spear flying directly toward its target
a clear bull’s eye
success
three [poem]
there have been three nights this year
where I forgot about my poetry
while lying in your arms
it’s no surprise though
that loving you takes up all of the words in me
and makes me silent
voodoo doll [poem]
a stitch slips into the fabric
and the needle pricks my fingertip
call it an offering
payment for the spell
justice woven in my blood
a little doll to dance away her bitterness
until cooler heads prevail
siren [poem]
the song grows quiet this time of year
the urge to sing
background noise as my breath
puffs white clouds into being
the silence is soothing
hunger gnawing at someone else’s heart tonight
I’m an open book [poem]
do you like to read Love?
I always wanted to find a man who
enjoyed a good story
the kind of audience that could
swallow the angst in the middle there
someone who wouldn’t
put me down to get away from the scene
painted across my pages
the purest scent of home [poem]
when I murmur I love you against your skin
I’m purring as best as I can in this human form
my nose pressed against your chest
so I can breathe you in
until it’s only you
filling my senses to the brim
Hestia [poem]
the thrones came with our victory
after the wild titans fell to Zeus’ lightning
and proud Athena’s shield
I didn’t play much of a role in the war
my duty is to the Eternal Flame
without which none of us could exist
mortal and god equally reliant on its sacred fire
it was Dionysus who finally noticed
how I avoided my seat among my siblings
how I left to tend the nearest hearth as an excuse
how I never wanted power in the first place
only purpose
he took my place amongst them
no selfless act but a kindness just the same
Dionysus gained validation amongst his kin
I gained freedom from their constant web of games
even after all these centuries
after temples grew silent and sacrifices grew scarce
somehow the Eternal Flame still burns
I guess my efforts haven’t been in vain
perhaps that is why
even the gods themselves pay homage to me
first and last in all proceedings
for I have kept the fire
when all else has faded to ash
and memory
[Fiction Review] “Lore” by Alexandra Bracken
Full Title: Lore
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Published: January 2021 by Disney Hyperion
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Contemporary Fantasy
Edition Details: 576 pages, hardcover
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Rating: {5/5 stars}
This review is spoiler free. No details will be shared from the storyline itself that aren’t available or inferred from the book jacket and online descriptions.
First Glance
I’m a sucker for anything involving a revised version of mythology, particularly Greek mythology. So when I saw this book on NetGalley while browsing for advanced copies to request, I couldn’t resist. The idea that some of the gods were being punished with a hunt in mortal bodies sounded gritty and exciting!
Positive Bits
The slow feed of information on the Agon and the people within it was done well. There weren’t a bunch of info dumps to slug through while reading; instead, the details were woven into the story and explained as needed within the context of the story. It helped that one of the main characters isn’t part of the Agon’s world, so we gain lots of explanations via his questions to the other characters.
I enjoyed Athena’s role in the story. As the goddess of strategy and reason, her choices made sense the way you’d expect a deity to consider choices (as opposed to a mortal person). The other gods were interesting in their own ways, but she held a unique place in Lore’s adventure.
An overall theme of being raised within a culture and wanting to leave it played well into the plot, from start to finish. It echoed a familiar thread seen in people who leave certain churches or political factions for their own well-being, and thus it really hit home how lost Lore felt and how hard the entire experience was for her.
Less Enjoyable Bits
Maybe it was just me, but I was left confused several times in the beginning. While the book is written in third person following Lore’s point of view the entire time, there are moments when the scene slips out of focus. I think part of that had to do with reading too fast in sections that included explanations of this Agon event and the world-within-our-world in which it occurs.
Some plot points disappointed me, largely due to the letdowns between culture and choices made by various side characters. If you live in a culture were honor and glory are key to everything, I don’t understand how betrayal of your people fits into that picture. Ever. So sometimes I was left scratching my head and wondering how choices made sense.
I had envisioned a different ending (or two, or three). There’s nothing wrong with the ending that we got, but I personally hoped for more. And without spoiling anything, I had hoped that the person with Poseidon’s power would be more involved in the story. They were mentioned enough to seem important, but then they came and went from the actual plot with little fanfare.
Tidbits Worth Repeating
Fear is a foreign land I shall never visit and a language that will never cross my tongue. [ebook – 33%]
Monsters lived in the shadows. To hunt them, you couldn’t be afraid to follow. And the only way to destroy them was to have the sharper teeth and the darker heart. [ebook – 58%]
I was born knowing how to do three things – how to breathe, how to dream, and how to love you. [ebook – 83%]
Is it worth the coin?
Yes – This book is an action-packed reimaging of the Greek gods, and I think it’s worth a read. I can’t help but wonder if the author will release any similar myth-based stories in the future, because I’d grab them too!
when your muse takes a holiday [poem]
try random word association
make a list of your favorite adjectives
and leave it in your back pocket
then wash it in the laundry
the bits of paper might attract your muse
or they might just attract weird looks
a list of things I’m thankful for [poem]
1 – I live up here in Washington
and it’s cold and wet
and perfect
2 – I have several books to my name
hundreds of poems etched into being
and time to write the words
beating through my body
with every pulse
3 – I still know how to love
even after the hurt and the hollowed out dreams
I turned them all into terracotta pots
and planted my new hopes there
4 – I live up here in Washington
with its green and grey
and beautiful
everything is temporary [poem]
your breath presses slowly into soapy water
a sphere of iridescent growth
until the bubble pops
droplets fall against your car windows
as the cold air condenses clouds into raindrops
until they become too insubstantial
to condense any further
a baby’s first breath is a miracle
and each day after a gift
until the last miracle is exhaled
into stillness
at death
Larissa Lee 