The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David
Kate and Edith Too
She was made mostly for me
harvested, fermented, distilled guarantee
she parts my lips and pickles me
bad is blinded, blended, bound as tamed
She was not made just for me
plucked, dried, rolled into opaque slips of a tree
weaponized vapor, she infuses me
heavenly scent, demonized flames
Together, will they be to me
what opium and hemlock were to Socrates?
I’d empty the goblet with boundless glee
no toxin could bind with sweeter degree
Together, we’ll be poetry
smoke and spirits consumed, transmuted, free
green dragon extract from our torrid sea
can a phoenix be drowned in poison? Let’s see
** *
Written for dVerse Poetics with poisonous plants, hosted by Bjorn. Others have contributed to this prompt here. I know I’m supposed to be taking a break from these prompts to work on my collection, but could pass on such an intriguing prompt as this? Is it still procrastination if I’m technically still writing? Probably, but I had fun so screw it!
Hephaestus’ Waste & Cosmic Rubble 
I love this! Both the choice and the poem! Beautifully done, Barry!
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I love this line! … “she parts my lips and pickles me”
Also the next: “bad is blinded, blended, bound as tamed”
And these:
“weaponized vapor”
“heavenly scent, demonized flames”
“I’d empty the goblet with boundless glee”
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I see the deadly passion here… a lethal blend of parted lips, deadly nightshade, hemlock… you made the goblet desirable.
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Thanks man. Sometimes the poison can be irresistible.
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Blinded blended bound as tamed!! Sounds a bit like you have been drinking Jack Daniels or Kentucky Burbon!! Good job!
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Ah, your procrastination is our entertainment!
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This is excellent, Barry! That first stanza is a gem.
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seductively pulling me in with the words, the last stanza is stellar.reminded me of a psychedelic coloured party.
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