Laius and Jocasta, Medea, etc.

Laius and Jocasta, Medea, etc.

Simone de Beauvoir speaks of passion “born from love to murder love.” 

Does she mean women (or their men) who want

Abortions after passion (or just sex

Or lust)?   Does she mean women born to haunt

The cosmos with those listless babies, vex

Us all with ghosts who never lived to grow

A fervor for symphonic music or for cock

And semen, sloppy fetuses aglow

With scraped out hopes that never feel the shock

Of manliness invading up their cunts?

Or does she mean the fathers who must kill

The men who murdered much loved sons with grunts

Of hatred.  Does she mean a queen with shrill

Intent to slaughter husband’s sons with knife

Or poisoning the man’s young bride and wife?