Caged
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
Egyptian royalty wore strict strokes round
Each eye—in life and death—for force. This fence
In life was formed of grace. The kohl that crowned
The edge of lids used ground down ore to tense
For strength the contents of the cage. This ore
Was dark galena made to Mesdemet
And caused the eyes to find a black rapport
With immortality. Kohl never met
Eternity but both were close to green
Of malachite long mined in Sinai
Then turned to dust and mixed with gum to preen
A queen’s lids and to deify her eye.
This makeup caused a power inside taut gems
Enough to make the eyes two diadems.
~ Phillip Whidden