Three Poems by Elena Malec

 

Simply Magic

 

In the beginning was the magic,

and the magic was in the words,

and the words were with the gods

because gods were everywhere-

on earth, underground, in the water and in the air.

(With one name, that’s mythology.)

And the gods created man

as a plaything of their wish;

But man learned the words

(some say a demigod stole the magic

from gods and gave it to man)

since the gods were exhausted in their power.

Thus man took time to discover himself,

enjoy himself, and proclaim himself uomo forte,

- probably between Trecento and Quattrocento.

 

And man made the money

that soon was to become his only god.

Yet, the world now seemed too small

even for one god.

So, man had to discover more land and more water,

and he called this, America.

(With one name, that’s economy.)

 

Since then, most mythologies and economies

have been exhausted

while the magic remains for many.

(Some call it the marriage of money and myth,

some call it simply, the American dream.)

 

Recognition

The man said:
“Open your eyes and you shall see.”
Just so we did,
And there was the light.

The man said:
“Walk and you’ll feel free.”
Just so we did,
And travelled day and night
By land and sea.

The man said:
“Speak up and your good words
will heal
while your bad words will kill
like swords.”

The man knew it
Because
He was
The teacher.

So they made him
A beautiful garland of flowers-
A thistly crown.

 

 

The Biology Lesson

 

(Walking in the park your baby daughter and doll with porcelain head cast in Madrid after her photo)

 

Diaphanous, smooth
perfect shell
of frail chalk
enclosing a mystic well –
zygotic thrill – expectation
folded in gel.

Mama – the egg…

Never mind who came first.
It’s a time lock under a spell
that goes for a puzzled walk.

Elena Malec is a philologist by trade, poet and artist by choice. She has published literary criticism, prose, poetry, essays, haiku, books of gourmet cooking, ikebana, morimono, and art. She lives with her husband in Southern California where she dedicates to painting, writing, making rag dolls, ikebana and haiku. Her books can be found on Amazon. Her haiku and senryu is published in many online journals.