Love Poem: A Man Named Orpheus
Leah Livingston Avatar
Written by: Leah Livingston

A Man Named Orpheus

There was a man named Orpheus,
Talented was he,
Playing the lyre so sweetly,
For everyone to see.
He met a girl named Eurydice,
And married her soon after,
Unfortunate for them,
They didn't live happily ever after.
Eurydice was killed by a snake,
This situation was not a mistake,
For Orpheus alone, was not his tone,
It was just heartbreaking.
Eurydice was sent to the underworld,
And Orpheus went to fetch her,
Orpheus had to pass many,
All in order to get her.
He finally reached the king and queen,
Of the dead, in the underworld scene.
He played his lyre so beautifully,
In order to win back his wed,
He finally saw his wife again,
And was allowed to take her from Hades' den.
Except on one condition,
And this was Hades' position.
He could not turn back to look at her,
Spotting light he wanted to confer,
With his reunited bride, but she did not say a word.
He suddenly turned back to see if she heard,
And then she was no longer by his side.
Eurydice was shipped back into the underworld, and died.
Poor Orpheus was sad and lonely,
If only he hadn't turned back,
If only, if only.