Poet T.R. Woodruff
© Copyright, T.R. Woodruff, 2010.
Reproduced with permission to: Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises, from T.R. Woodruff
Goddess
I had never touched a woman
with an immortal beauty, & while
what I know of goddesses
wouldn’t satisfy the curiosity of scholars,
something in me summoned up
the archetypal figure in my head
of Aphrodite.
With your long hair, exposed
breasts silhouetted & I watched you enter
moonlit waters, that pale reflection
distorted in the rippling pond,
your flesh an eternal glow.
I asked you if you were real, your stare
declaring war against my body,
while untruths filled your eyes like inky pools,
swirling with obscurity, your lips
whispering promises to the darkness, perhaps
even to me.
Come! you said when first you took me
into the glistening midnight pond, rippling
rings spread outward. You in its middle,
standing nude, waist deep.
Softness, your tender skin
cleansed with an earlier rain, gentle—
—locks of hair
caressed the midsummer wind,
like a child’s giggle somewhere off in the distance.
Grey mist twisted from the surface of the water
I was afraid of you, afraid
of your embrace. That I the liar & you the thief,
would lead us into trickery, into deceit
I knew my flesh betrayed me
to you in that moment
your pale radiance the prison.
I surrendered to you,
your sexual shape, my sexual lust, & the writhing creature
our bodies twisted into, yours equally strong—
the proof of passion,
small scratches on my skin.
Goddess! I said out loud
to the hooting owl & trickling fish,
I had to read your lips above the crickets, whining—
My tongue swollen in my mouth
kissed midnight dew drops from your skin.
In the water, as we embraced
in the wavering reflection of the moon,
you kissed me hard & with a smile
said, You are a surprising lover!
I awoke in the moist earth, stuck against
a stone & mud soaked stalks.
My feet touched the pond.
You, the goddess I loved hard, gone & I tried
to shake the image of your nakedness
from my mind,
but my body collapsed into the soil,
slurping muck, my own nakedness
my lust & lost underthings.
Whether we loved under the moon
or only I imagined you on your pedestal
that night, there’s no telling.
But something made me wonder,
that you touched me before I got there. Let me to believe
you were with me all along.
About the Author: T.R. Woodruff lives in the Midwestern grasslands of Missouri. In the spring of 2010, he left behind more than fourteen years of corporate America to pursue his passion for words. He is wrapping up his MFA from Lindenwood University, holds his MBA from Webster University, and plans to pursue his PhD in 2011.
© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises
To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net
Budget Travel
Off Season Travel
By Mark Kahler
During an enjoyable and unhurried visit to Venice, my budget travel curiosity prompted a question for the desk clerk. I asked him what our room would cost in July.
His response came in two parts: The first was "if it's available" and the second was a quote of about $110 USD.
Notice "part one" of the answer. Smaller budget hotels that build loyal clientele often have their rooms booked months or even years ahead. This little budget gem might not even be an option for the July budget traveler.
Now to part two: although $110 is a reasonable rate, it was about 40 percent more than I was paying in March. It's the same room, with the same complimentary breakfast and the same short walk to St. Mark's.
Many European hotels have a "menu" of prices almost as extensive as the restaurants down the street. November rates are low, December can rise one week, sink the next, with January lower still.
One drawback to this strategy is that some European inns close during the off-season, content to remodel and retool for the next tourist onslaught. So off-season travelers need to do even more homework than most. That great deal in the guidebooks might come with fine print that says "closed" on your intended travel dates.
Dark and Cold
The weather can be a big problem. It's not much fun admiring the architectural beauty of Rome when a biting wind is in your face. Be sure to dress in thin layers that can be peeled off as the weather warms during the day.
Burning sun can be a turn-off, too. That's something to think about if you're bound for Italy. Personally, a cool day with occasional showers is fine for sightseeing. A day with overwhelming heat and humidity is much less enjoyable.
Bonus
I'm told Venice is a crowded place in summer. Every other person you see has a camera and a bag of souvenirs in hand. The natives love it because they can sell lots of high-priced film and kitsch.
These are things I have read about. Remember, I went in the off-season.
I got to meet restaurant owners and shopkeepers. They were relaxed enough to talk to me and answer my wide-eyed questions about their beautiful city. A few were able to share money-saving tips.
This could happen on a crowded, hot summer day, too. But the odds are much more in your favour from November through March.
Low prices, smaller crowds, and better opportunities to meet the natives. Who says it's "off" season, anyway?
© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises
To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net
By Mark Kahler
During an enjoyable and unhurried visit to Venice, my budget travel curiosity prompted a question for the desk clerk. I asked him what our room would cost in July.
His response came in two parts: The first was "if it's available" and the second was a quote of about $110 USD.
Notice "part one" of the answer. Smaller budget hotels that build loyal clientele often have their rooms booked months or even years ahead. This little budget gem might not even be an option for the July budget traveler.
Now to part two: although $110 is a reasonable rate, it was about 40 percent more than I was paying in March. It's the same room, with the same complimentary breakfast and the same short walk to St. Mark's.
Many European hotels have a "menu" of prices almost as extensive as the restaurants down the street. November rates are low, December can rise one week, sink the next, with January lower still.
One drawback to this strategy is that some European inns close during the off-season, content to remodel and retool for the next tourist onslaught. So off-season travelers need to do even more homework than most. That great deal in the guidebooks might come with fine print that says "closed" on your intended travel dates.
Dark and Cold
The weather can be a big problem. It's not much fun admiring the architectural beauty of Rome when a biting wind is in your face. Be sure to dress in thin layers that can be peeled off as the weather warms during the day.
Burning sun can be a turn-off, too. That's something to think about if you're bound for Italy. Personally, a cool day with occasional showers is fine for sightseeing. A day with overwhelming heat and humidity is much less enjoyable.
Bonus
I'm told Venice is a crowded place in summer. Every other person you see has a camera and a bag of souvenirs in hand. The natives love it because they can sell lots of high-priced film and kitsch.
These are things I have read about. Remember, I went in the off-season.
I got to meet restaurant owners and shopkeepers. They were relaxed enough to talk to me and answer my wide-eyed questions about their beautiful city. A few were able to share money-saving tips.
This could happen on a crowded, hot summer day, too. But the odds are much more in your favour from November through March.
Low prices, smaller crowds, and better opportunities to meet the natives. Who says it's "off" season, anyway?
© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises
To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net
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