The Ladder Of Love

Mystical poem written 5-5-25. Hymn To Aphrodite 5.

1.
“Let me hear your song,” You said,
So I laughed long and loud,
“Beautiful,” You said,
So I turned myself over to You

“We two. We are misunderstood,”
You said this and I fell to my knees,
And made myself into a comfort,
For Your people

Blessing the path before me,
And bidding farewell,
To the winding road behind,
I winced only once in momentary pain

Oh sweet Beloved,
Born of Sky,
And churning purple Sea,
Aphrodite, I adore You

2.
I am striving, Beloved,
To love as You love,
Even before,
I am loved

To be soft and hard,
Strong and gentle,
To honor all of You,
Shaper and shaped

God is love and love is the law,
Or so I’ve been taught,
By prophets and teachers, 
Mystics and tragedies

I believe it, too,
On my better days,
On the other days,
I do the best I can

3.
Once upon a time,
I was a priestess,
In fabled Mantinea,
Well, perhaps

I was asked about love,
And spoke first of beauty,
Guiding my eager student,
Who, thankfully, knew nothing

He and I climbed together,
Up the Ladder Of Love,
From the love of one to the many,
From the love of many to the All

Like my goddess,
I was misunderstood,
But I can always clear my throat,
And try again tomorrow