The Used Lover Blues (1)

An Epicurean Aegean Odyssey

In a time of epic turmoil

and unsurpassable bliss

I had this diaphanous lover

a fair goddess

from far off Mount Olympus

Was it all that wrong?

She knew just how to play

upon her golden lyre

my favourite song

setting my heart on fire

with unquenchable desire

all night long

But then …
against all reason
and cosmic rhyme
she done me like a crime
Now it seems
she haunts my dreams
and the days
are way too long
But tell me … what can you do
when you ain’t that strong?
Lord … I’m tired
of paying these dues
them used lover blues
Her mythology
is all Greek to me
Was the pounding
on Chaos’s anvil
the sheer scope
of a falsified scandal
more than any mere mortal
could ever hope to handle?

Back on the farm
she burnt down my barn
A flame of nature
Zeus’s warlike daughter
my Olympian lover
Athena by name
She did me
like a Greek tragedy
with her heavenly body
It’s a Grecian crying shame
“God bless you”, she said
“I meant you no harm.”
After stealing my best horse
the one that wasn’t lame
Always the centre of attention
playing that winning victim game
“I was just a slave
on his plantation!”
Her claim to fleeting fame?
Such a shame
since she once
dared to ride that horse
the unbroked stallion
that could never be tamed
But after shredding
my ageing portrait
she had me stretched out
on the canvas
of a blame game
then hung up and framed
Those qualities l most admire
an open mind and an open heart
seemed forever extinguished
in a baptism of fire

Athena
Zeus’s warlike daughter
now on the loose
in a two piece
gold plated bathing suit
riding Pegasus
from the depths of Hades
to the summit
of Mount Olympus
Driven with no satisfaction
in the getting of a given
A golden key
to a golden door
of a golden mansion
upon a golden shore
After running the course
with that Trojan horse
like a one eyed Cyclops
on ice at the Olympics
she had me repeatedly
golden fleeced
In spite of my chemically
enhanced performance

Titans in the pit
… moshing
The Sirens backing
a band of Myrmidons
with Achilles in the lead
In an age
when all the rage
was Pagans gone cruising
Jason and a boat load
of three hundred
or so Spartans
partying on the Island
of Mykonos
(Where, believe it or not
the Centaurs are hot to trot)
get set for departing
Breaking out of the Aegean
This could end in glory
… or loss?
Argonauts brought to nought?
Drifting face down
to the bottom of the ocean?
Hercules hitching a ride
with Ulysses sailing
the ancient Mediterranean
Drifting
along the Spanish shore
In no particular hurry
where Salvador Dali
is painting
the fishermen
with Poseidon and Glaucus
tuna fishing
From Ithaca to Troy
the fleet of Aristotle Onassis
finally arriving
“He wouldn’t launch
a thousand ships for me!”
… Jackie O. keeps muttering
Aristotle’s philosophical
response … “I know nothing.”

The words of advice from
wise Ulysses to young Achilles
on the day of the Trojan landing
are as following;

“Achilles, you always seem to be
in a hurry to be somewhere else.
Take a deep breath,
be in the present,
in the presence of the pantheon
of Olympic mindfulness.
Now go and play nice
with Hector and Paris,
and don’t go parading about
taking selfies
down the Champs Elysees.
Who do you think you are?
Ares, the god of war himself?!
And keep away from Persia,
you know, Iraq and Iran,
and even Afghanistan.
They appreciate not
a pagan invasion.
No matter how stupid,
misguided,
… and well meaning.
There’s a Persian Gulf
between you and them
of which you have
zero understanding.
So Achilles,
don’t go playing the hero,
and as for you,
Alexander of Macedonia,
it would be great
if you too were listening.”

These words recorded
as carved into the marble
decorating the Parthenon
Later to be stolen
by “Screaming” Lord Elgin
and buried in the basement
of a British museum
giving rise to the Yassou Blues
played on a Bouzouki
in true grecian freestyle fashion
Perhaps we should all
take the time for a while
to read and heed
before launching a war
looking for those elusive
weapons of mass destruction?

From Ithaca to Troy
and somehow
despite the Titans attacking
miraculously back again
(That’s what you do when
writing your own story,
you portray yourself
the hero true … don’t you?!)
Forgetting all about Helen
And a pity about Achilles
It’s the brad pitts … sadly
Thunderclap Achilles
And The Myrmidons
shall never return
to the Las Vegas Hilton

An odd journey
this epic odyssey
from Mighty Aphrodite
to Miss Apple Pie
With the occasional detour
pursued by a Minotaur
along the rocky coast of Ithaca
All the while asking …
Why should I even try?
I just can’t tell
since I fell under the spell
of Zeus’s warlike daughter
Then left to rust
face down in the dust
Needs is a must
with a dying thirst
for a needle thrust
of that Morpheus dream elixir
A wedding gift from Athena
Zeus’s mischievous daughter

( . . . to be continued 😎)

~ by David B Redpath © 2018-2023

20170525_130515-01-01913805692.jpeg

‘Ulysses and the Sirens’
~ by J.W.Whitehouse

“Life is too short for the
indulgence of animosity.”

~ Sir Walter Scott

66 thoughts on “The Used Lover Blues (1)”

    1. Not unless you’re wearing a mask 😷
      but that kind of defeats the purpose.
      Yes, despite all his misadventures,
      Ulysses did possess some good
      old fashioned common sense, so
      desperately in short supply among
      today’s world leaders.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Oh the Greek tragedy unfolds. Be forewarned never ever miss with a woman, especially a war goddess, who will lay waste with every step you take, in your travels east, where sand storms await. 😎

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks for boarding the Odysseus.
      Homer has been hard at work
      doing his iliad homework, so
      not long to wait. I suspect that
      sailing with Jason, aboard the
      Argo, wouldn’t be any safer.
      I promise, sooner or later, we’ll
      get back to Ithaca 😎

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      3. Oh an emoticon riddle. Lessee. *thinks* You are saying, “I pray for rainbows and sunshine and night time and campfires and palm trees where the sand is beautiful and warm and I am so cool! ” I nailed it, right? ♥.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Empathically yes!
        I just spent the last month in a
        tropical paradise on the north
        eastern Australian coast. But
        then I stoopidly returned to the
        southern most ice and frost 🥶
        Alas, the southern hemispherical
        Summer is still a few months
        away 🌞

        Liked by 1 person

      1. pleasure, David: the imagination is like a wild horse: it is meant to be unbridled and to gallop free ; or to use a childhood reference —but ah, that may be topic of my next post 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I’m still in the literary nursery, John,
        learning to ride a rocking horse 🐴
        But I’m hoping that by reading
        copious quantities of Longfellow,
        and Wordsworth, whilst waiting to
        see dentist, bears some results 😎

        Liked by 2 people

      4. I tried Jack Kerouac
        just for a light snack
        but ended up
        flat on my back
        in Mexico city
        listening to Doctor Sax
        with Maggie Cassidy
        and some dharma bums
        who stole all my money 😪

        Liked by 2 people

  10. Pingback: Used Lover Blues (1) – World Era

  12. Goodness David have you been on holiday too long. Where have you gone? Wow you took us down quite the ride dear friend. Some pretty great humor included. Nicely done, your muse has taken you to far off places. Great read. You two take care of each other. Hugs and love to you both, Joni

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for taking the trip, Joni 🙏
      and I trust you strapped yourself
      safely in ⛵🌪️
      Linda keeps me around as she
      finds my tales of brave Ulysses
      greatly amusing. Especially when
      it comes to the Used Lover Blues,
      as she’s walked a country mile
      in those blue suede shoes ❣️
      But love on the Rock keeps
      the ball 🏀 rockin ‘ and rollin’ 😎

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. You spin an excellent story my friend. I like you sense of humor too. It sounds like you two have a great time together. That is a blessing these days. I know you appreciate her and vice versa.
        You two behave yourself and don’t get in any trouble. Love and big southern hugs to you both. ❤️🤗💕😘Joni

        Liked by 1 person

    1. A neo-classical thank you, Basilike.
      Sending all my love to Athens 💜
      Despite the fact that Athena burnt
      down my barn, I’m sure she’s not
      the pyromaniac trying to set fire
      to the Parthenon. I suspect that
      might be Zeus himself ⚡ as he’s
      not a fan of all this global warming.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Take care out there, Basilike 💜
        Things are getting extreme when
        the snow melts on Mount Olympus
        and turns into a raging torrent. yet
        the Acropolis is being threatened
        by Hades’ fire.

        Liked by 2 people

  15. A truly epic poem, David.
    I love all the Greek mythological references and throwing them in the midst of current geopolitical trouble spots as well.
    I appreciate your bringing in Athena who has always been my favourite Greek deity.
    I remember as a kid in elementary school having numerous dreams where I was making out with Athena.
    This shows two things:
    1) I’ve always been excessively horny
    and
    2) I seem to have a thing for goddesses.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks Christopher 🙏
      That hornification would seem
      to be an elementary symptom
      of being a school boy 😎
      Your Grecian fixation gives a
      classical dimension to an age
      old problem 🍆
      My singular problem was Athena
      insisting on being the perpetual
      virgin 🤔 🕶️

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  20. AHHHH!!! I had so much fun reading this outloud. I committed to it and with raised voice (after a glass of wine) recited it loudly with my deck door open! My neighbours were sprinkled upon and blessed with words from afar! I think I did this with Your second version as well (yes I read things backwards! 🤣) and remember having just as much fun but didn’t tell You I shared it loudly! 😃 Your speed train poetry makes my heart pound and this time around You gifted gut laughs here and there. You have a unique voice. Absolutely awesome!!! Thank You, David!!! Cheers and Rock on!!! 😃💖🙏🏼💕🥂

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    1. Your gracious words regarding my
      apocryphal poem are appreciated
      greatly, Katy 🙏 On a cautionary
      note, when I attempted to read
      those words out aloud, with just
      a full 🌕 moon for an audience,
      Athena herself manifested and
      began to chastise me severely 🛠️
      for betraying her confidence, and
      accusing me of telling half truths.
      My only defence was if I told the
      whole truth no one would believe
      me. Her response was atomic 💥
      but don’t worry, I’m well on the
      way to recovery 🤕 💐
      After a pantheon of misdirection
      true love has finally found me 💞
      and that’s no mythology 😎 💛

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. AHHHHH and YES!!! I am well acquainted with the most MAGNIFICENT ATHENA!!! I have quite a thing for Greek mythology and have painted a few of the God’s and Goddesses in my own voice….as they come to me to be painted. The bright pink haired woman on my header is Aphrodite. She came to me green with a pink afro. I dunno. 🤣 So I call her afro-dite. I’ve painted her twice very big! And as I type this I’m sitting beside my almost 10 foot tall painting of Athena and her owl. She’s deciding whether or not to smite us. There are tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips. She’s hearing the report, dangling Zues’s sphered thunderbolt gently on a chain between her fingers. I call the painting “in counsel’. Here’s the link! You’ll laugh at this! When it first came to me (these things truly aren’t intellectual for me!) that I was going to paint her I had it in my mind that I’d have her and her owl sitting sharing a bottle of beautiful wine in outside of a French Cafe. As soon as I started painting, she said, “I don’t think so.” I just started painting and the link I’m sending You is what came out. I love it. It’s huge and this picture doesn’t give it justice! But she read Your comment over my shoulder and burst out laughing!!! 🤣 Ok. I’m not all the way crazy…she didn’t really…..or DID she?!!! Mwah ha ha ha haaaaa!!!! Huge hugs and Cheers!!! 😃💕🤗 Sorry to make You work for this if You click the link, but she’s the 33rd painting down. Loving that!!! 🙏🏼https://www.blissbaitart.com/fine-art

        Liked by 1 person

      2. “Everything you can imagine is real.”
        ~Pablo Picasso

        “Some realities are higher than others,
        so best try to stay high, naturally.”
        ~ Me 😎

        I must confess, after all that Goddess
        of Warfare has put me through, I now
        prefer Aphrodite the best, especially
        in iridescent green 💚
        Plus that pink mane would drive any
        poor mortal man insane 💗😎 I was
        particularly taken by your painting,
        “Yours For The Taking”. I could just
        see Picasso standing next to Athena,
        exclaiming, “¡Hermosa!” ❤️👍

        Liked by 1 person

      3. AHHHHHH!!! Well, alrighty then!!! 😃 Thank You so very much for checking out my paintings, David! And for Your kind words!!! I’ve been in such a holding pattern during all these shifts in my life. It’s funny….most days I just absolutely refuse to paint…but I know I’ll start again. You just gifted many smiles! Thank You!!! And You’ll laugh: a male friend of mine seriously wanted to buy ‘afro-dite paints the town’. His wife was having none of it. She couldn’t envision a huge, naked, pink afro-ed green Goddess on her wall…I get it! 🤣 So she told him if I painted her a large, smiling sunflower he could buy it. So that’s how ‘yours for the taking’ was born. When I finished it; they didn’t want it but I was fine with that! I absolutely love it! It rules over my living room with Athena and makes me smile daily so that’s fine! Loving that it made You (and Picasso’s ghost and Athena 😅) smile as well! Seriously, thank You for taking the time! Sending hugs Y’alls way!!! 🤗💕😊

        Liked by 1 person

      4. My pleasure, Katy 🙏💐

        ( …. Most Curious?! There’s no
        accounting for taste. I would’ve
        hung ‘Yours For The Taking’ in a
        heartbeat 💓 Probably from the
        bedroom ceiling to remind my
        Aphrodite that her Troy Boy is
        ever … her’s for the taking 💞😎)

        Liked by 1 person

      5. AHHHH! Yet another smile gifted! That’s a splendiferous idea! I’m certain Aphrodite would swoon over that one! And “Troy Boy” is one of Your brilliances that gifted me a belly laugh! And….again just now!!! Thank You for all, David!!! Cheers! 🤗💕😄

        Liked by 1 person

  21. Hello David. I read that as Yassou Blues played on a bazooka. Was that intentional? This post was an enchanting Odyssey, with Orpheus playing in the background. Even Arachne can’t weave a finer web of words and emotion.

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    1. Indeed, Tanmay. A friend of mine
      played the bazooka (the musical
      brass instrument, not the weapon
      … but then 🤔) and when he was
      just learning it would’ve given
      a pantheon of Grecian musicians
      the blues 🎶🙉 Demis Roussos
      would have slashed his wrists 😱
      Perhaps he should’ve tried the
      bouzouki instead? 😎
      Thanks for reading 🙏

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