myth and poetry

Mythopoetry Scholar

Matter & Beauty
Mythopoetry Scholar Annual Ezine

Three Poems
-Sheila Fugard

SPIRAL                                                                                          

O shell spiral
Cellular intensity
Season of waters
Beginnings of hands thrashing
Into new life

If I uncover your face
I shall find the Medusa
Strung up in sky

With these tears
I see the sparkling drop
The eye of knowing
Into the myth of new beginnings

********************************************


‘ACROSS THE WORLD’S DIVIDE’

The  true earth is upon us
No longer consumed by sky
Beloved seeking the light
I find my shadow diminished
Become other than myself
I am transformed
Become the lion goddess
The hag crippled by wealth
I am all these roles
The elongated serpent
A surrogate friend

Across the world’s divide
I watch the cumulous clouds
They release a thousand doves

A woman of coinage
Crowned by the love of emperors
The purple cloth fading
Become the tarpaulin of age

********************************************


EARTH TIME ENDS

The maritime end of the world
ships no longer sailing into glory
Inward bound to take t heir places

Where did we lose the dreams
When earth collideds with stars
The green forest slipped away

The planet we know ending
As do ocean and also song
Love a shell on a lone beach

The tide gone out forever
The forest swept away
Song echoes and fades
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poet, Sheila Fugard Author Bio
Sheila Fugard A South African novelist and poet, Sheila has been living in California for the last ten years.  She is the author of three novels, and four collections of poetry. Her work is in part a meditation on spiritual and political power and moves with sure imaginative conviction in the mythic exploration of Africa. The themes of colonial conquest, the paranoia of apartheid and terrorism, and the eternal quest for the self are expressed in lyrical passages.

Sheila Fugards first novel, “The Castaways” emerged in the early seventies as both an historical exploration of South Africa, and as a metaphor for the oppressive Apartheid society of that time. The story is set in the eighteenth century and brings together the catastrophe of shipwreck, and the turmoil of a mental breakdown. “A Revolutionary Woman” and “Rite of Passage” have similar themes ,and are further explorations of the myths and cultures of Africa. The poems, too, are mythic journeys. Visionary darkness and destruction leads towards Spring and rebirth.

Sheila draws her inspiration from the study of Tibetan Buddhism, Jung and depth psychology.


Publications:

Novels: “The Castaways” 1972 (MacMillan, South Africa)(reprinted by Jonathan Ball Publishers, South Africa , 2OO2); “Rite of Passage” 1976 (Ad Donker, South Africa);“A Revolutionary Woman” 1983 (George Braziller, USA)

Poetry:“Threshold” 1975  (Ad Donker, South Africa);“Mythic Things” l981 (Ad Donker, South Africa);“Reclaiming Desert Places”  l992 (Indlovu Publications, South Africa);The Magic Scattering of a Life”  2OO7 (Fire Lizard Press, South Africa)

Plays:“The San Woman” (2007) (One act play),staged in Santa Barbara by Dramatic Women at the Centre Stage Theatre.

Biography: “Lady of Realisation”, a Buddhist biography,1984 (Maitri Publications South Africa)(Free electronic edition bf.3thervada.free.fr/LadyofRealisation.1.htm)Books can be obtained from amazon.com and Kindle. Allibris books.

 

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