The Birth of Aphrodite

A fierce tempest
was brewing in the heavens
The ethers above the earth
were dripping with the blood
of the warrior god . . .Mars
his conquests and his red sword
coagulating the rivers below
chastising and testing
the frailty of human life.

The sky god Uranus
was wielding lightening bolts
down at the earth
sharpening mountains
cracking them in two
making valleys deep
and impossible for man to tread.

Mighty Zeus sat on his throne
twirling his white beard
amused at all the clamor
and the masculine show of might
. . . concerned however
that things were getting
a bit out of hand.
Even though secretly he envied
their vigor and wanton ways,
Zeus knew in his wisdom
that he had to put a stop to this.
He thought "I have pondered this dilemma
this raucous behavior
so unfitting the stature of the gods.
The powers of Mars and Uranus
must be tempered . . .




I propose
. . . a distraction, yes . . .
something marvelous, voluptuous
enticing and seductive
yet she must be also
compassionate and tender.
I will bring forth a new goddess. . . . . . . . Love.

I will call down the Evening Star
and let her fall in deepest slumber
under Poseidon’s waters.
There she will rise from the sea
a goddess pure and fair
a beauty never seen before
nor known
to gods or man
and any who draw near her heart
will be transformed.
Aphrodite, Goddess of Love
Yes, even Mars and Uranus
will be tamed and bewitched by her beauty
and lured away from destruction
which only I, great Zeus
will keep in my command."

And so
the Evening Star descended
deep below the churning waters,
leaving her subdued reflection in the skies
and in the cauldron of the seas
an alchemy began . . .
One part moonbeam, two parts velvet,
three parts captured curves and four parts mystery.
The goddess prepared to rise
with beauty culminating into softness
liberated from the deep
with red lips pursed
and the heavens left trembling!

Poseidon engaged the mighty waves
to calm and foam
a mist of blue temptation
from which
the scintillating body, drenched in
fleshly splendor
rose in her silken cocoon
adorned and enchanted
and ~ somewhat ~ innocent.

Alas!
Across the rivers, valleys and mountains
the sound of the great sword
falling from the hand of Mars
drew a suspicious silence
amongst the other gods.
Even Uranus ceased his wild erratic lightening
and together . . . the two
breathed in that fleshly new scent
of feminine seduction . . .
Aphrodite.

Unfortunately . . .
since Zeus was far from a perfectionist
and blinded by his own
lustful passions,
the distraction didn't last very long
. . . and still never does.

And even mighty Zeus would have to concede,
that after all these centuries . . .
the lure of the seductive
yet ~somewhat~ innocent Aphrodite
has been known
to cause more wars and destruction
than all the gods combined!


Joanne Cucinello