Once
by Jessica Bell
Inspired by Echo and Narcissus
Love—it bounced on water. Once.
A skipping stone, though a cold
heart, it still made warmth
a woven shawl to soothe my longing.
Atoms trembled to make this devotion
a frantic sigh. But I have to say,
how could I not have known ardor was
moving, when our skin combined
because we were melting like ice in a warm lake?
Because we were melting like ice in a warm lake,
moving when our skin combined,
how could I not have known ardor was
a frantic sigh? But I have to say,
atoms trembled to make this devotion
a woven shawl to soothe my longing
heart. It still made warmth
a skipping stone. Though a cold
love, it bounced on water. Once.
If Jessica Bell could choose only one creative mentor, she'd give the role to Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and lyrics. This is not only because she currently resides in Athens, Greece, but because of her life as a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist, whose literary inspiration often stems from songs she's written. Jessica is the Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and runs the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca.
Where do you get the ideas for your poems?
Music. It evokes completely different emotions from me than reading does, and therefore unique perceptions of life.