National Poetry Month April 26, 2020
Alison Stone
Pandora
I’m a hot mess, ravishing
disaster, blown into town
under a blade-sharp moon.
Men, you quiver as I slink by
with my lipsticked smirk and box
of troubles, ache at the sway
of my skirt. You’ve never seen
a woman’s hips before, never touched hair
soft as ash. My fingers and dismissals
burn like stolen fire, punishment
so sweet you can’t tell if I entered
through the ivory gate for false dreams
or the carved horn gate for true.
From Caught in the Myth, NYQ Books, 2019
1. What inspired you to write this poem?
I’d only known Pandora in terms of the box. Then I learned that she was the first woman, brought as punishment for Prometheus’ stealing fire.
2. What do you like about this poem?
I like giving her a voice. Too many women, and even goddesses, in Greek and Roman myths, exist as objects rather than subjects, with their importance being their relationship to men.
3. What would you change about this poem?
Nothing. I revise a lot, but once something’s in a book, that’s it.
4. Where, when, and how often do you write?
I write once a week on the train to the City. If I’m lucky, I snatch minutes other days. If I’m working on a poem, I can think about it while I walk the dog.
5. What poetry books are you reading right now?
Louise Gluck, collected, Best of the Best Canadian Poetry.
Website: www.stonepoetry.org
YouTube Channel — Alison Stone Poetry