EROS

Spoken word and multimedia poetry video 'EROS' interprets Greek God Eros' archaic concept of love, as an application of self-love, empowerment, and the parallel between mythology and science. This piece interweaves spoken word performance with digital art. Poet Destin Judy learned through many heartbreaks, that one cannot be happy in union with another until one is in union with self. EROS is sourced from her diary, which helped her in this journey.

POEM TEXT: "EROS"

when Eros has his way
I, too, am the son
of Chaos
original primeval emptiness
of the universe
youngest nude
handsome winged youth
thoughtless sex and desire
thoughts in clouds
heart earthed in ground
as one of the one of the Erotes
Aphrodite's retinue of service
to the blind
flame torched
Eros lights the way
because I light the way

my right hand on the bow
left hand the arrow

love in the hearts of Gods and mortals
I carry a lyre
a strum of strings
charm tears into living
numinous songs expel
the evil accompanied
by dolphins, flutes, roses, roosters, and torches
emotions to create
passion and love
tipped arrows
life mercurial

the bow and the arrow strike
one and one
two humans to fall heads
me first to finally get to him
divine sanity by way of suffering
beautiful and permanent
of many forms
my reflection when I look
into my bathroom mirror
the chubby Renaissance Cupid
gleeful when he strikes
the adult who embodies
sexual power—our power, always
the profound artist
heart-shaped hungry
worshiped by a fertility cult in Thespiae
worshiping the birth of this feeling
this love

I can now see others with eyes of love
because I see myself with eyes of love
all as one
of the primordial gods involved
in the coming into being of the cosmos
duly bestowed qualities of beauty, loyalty, strength, eloquence
epithet Klêidouchos

keys unlock, lock, and unlock again
the most prized virgin
love
virgin less

the first near-Earth
asteroid to be discovered
the first asteroid to be orbited
by a human spacecraft
the first asteroid to have a spacecraft land
onto its uncharted skin
of gold and platinum
discovered in 1898, asteroid 433, named
“Eros”

arrows pierce
my eyes into my heart across my body
others with eyes of love
a blindfolded child
in constant grasp to become
free and touched
without hands
with hands to free others

I trust my eyes of love
when I accept conflicts
on the path
is the path
when this moment does not define me
without my permission
when I accept not every stop
is a stay

I see myself with eyes of love
when I water my hands cut
sunflowers to keep them
breathing longer
disk florets opening
rich not richness
because it leaves
and I am still here
feeling
not needing
to hold them

I see others with eyes of love
when I detach
my heart
from their sins
to hold my heart dear
closer closest
to theirs

I see myself
with eyes of love
when I say ‘I love you’
in the mirror
inspire myself to leap
allow myself to fall
depart others who hurt
process my fears
trust myself first
am grateful for all that is
small
allow myself to lean
into the pain
to revel
in even more joy

I see others
with eyes of love
when I say ‘I am sorry’
put chocolate chips in their pancakes
nervously shape food like animals
run tired to find them
a band aid
let mean cars through
in traffic
smile
at strangers
hold doors and don’t ignore
the homeless woman on the corner
reach further, when far hurts too much for others

and my heart says
it’s safest here
with my arrow pointing inward
when two heads fall
before Eros ever landed

the tip of his arrow
into my heart
the now-heart
of my forever
dream lover

me

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