Oh to see
the first time a baby
takes a step
or the sun god glinting
above the glittering path of Iris
as she bounds toward her
Mother, rich and strong
Oh to see, to know, to have
in my possession, like a gold coin
the power of the lightning bringer:
truth
I yearn for the musky scent of it
the papery thin reed that
grows wild and proud above
the swamp.
To hold it in my arms
as a mother holds a child,
tenderly, pure and simple
To fold it up smooth and
tuck it safe in my ever growing
ever wanting mind
It is a monster, a savior
it transcends even those who
would call themselves immortal
they too, bow to its will and fear
I wrote this as something Oedipus would write before the whole story began. He craves truth, so that is what I wrote it about. I tried to use some of Sophocles's elements in it. I used references to gods, and some foreshadowing. I also put in lines that seem one way if you don't know the story, but once you know what happens, the meaning of the lines changes completely. I made it formal diction, because Oedipus talks formally to the chorus, he mirrors their formality and rhythm, so by that you can tell that the audience of this poem is the chorus. I also added a little bit of the life cycle, because that is so important to Greek culture and to this story in particular. I didn't use any punctuation because it messes with the flow of the poem, because it grows and if there were periods, that would stop the emotional growth. It would prevent the climax of the poem, which is Oedipus calling the gods weak. I think this poem is kind of a synopsis of the whole play. He starts out wanting knowledge, then the emotion escalates and he needs it more, then he makes unknowing double entendres about mothers and children, then he calls truth a monster, and insults the gods. The same thing happens in the play.
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