41 Comments
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erniet's avatar

All-gifted you were,

Endowed by gods with graces

And ills in a jar

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Honeygloom's avatar

Interesting take, I like it. Bad things can be gifts, it seems like you’re saying, depends on how you handle them.

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erniet's avatar

Well, Pandora "All gifted" meant she had both good and bad gifts...it's just the bad ones were sealed in the jar...😁

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erniet's avatar

All-gifted woman,

Anesidora, gave up

Evil to the world

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Honeygloom's avatar

Indeed, an unfortunate fate for her.

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Daniel Baldwin's avatar

Having hope is nice

And all, but never needing

It would be ideal.

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Honeygloom's avatar

Ha! Yes, that would be the way to go, well said🖤

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A.C. Cargill, Author's avatar

Her mind was itching

Only one way to relieve

Come out and scratch it

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Honeygloom's avatar

I like the inevitability invoked here, humans are humans after all🖤

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A.C. Cargill, Author's avatar

And the itch of curiosity must be scratched!

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erniet's avatar

Curious woman

Who satisfied her wonder

Releasing evil

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Honeygloom's avatar

Ha! You like this prompt.

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erniet's avatar

I do! This myth was one of the first Greek myths I read as a child!😁

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Honeygloom's avatar

I had never heard the earlier version until a few months ago, it’s a really interesting story evolution.

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erniet's avatar

Yes, so many versions! The first one I read had Hope as a blessing; another had Hope locked in the jar so humans were denied the relief from suffering she brought; another had Hope as the worst curse of all…

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Songsterfunsterhamster's avatar

It’s said Hope remained

Held forever in a box

Dreaming of escape

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Honeygloom's avatar

Oh nice!! Hope had hope! I like it🖤

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Songsterfunsterhamster's avatar

You are generous

In your praises and for that

I give you my thanks

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Honeygloom's avatar

☺️

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A.P. Murphy's avatar

Prometheus, condemned for hubris

to eternal savage tearing of his liver

and the company of woman -

penance sweeter than mere pain after all.

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Honeygloom's avatar

Well we do our best 😈

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A.P. Murphy's avatar

Good women are the most powerful analgesic known - a painkiller even if your liver is being ripped out by an eagle.

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Honeygloom's avatar

A good man can do the same… just a bit tough to find ya’ll sometimes🙃

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David Perlmutter's avatar

The evils were released from the box, but hope remained.

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Honeygloom's avatar

So the story goes. There seems to be mixed feelings on hope as an evil or a boon.

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erniet's avatar

In some versions of the myth Hope was the last and worst of the curses released...

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Leigh Parrish's avatar

Hey, what's in the box?

Maybe they should have told me

first. It's open now.

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Honeygloom's avatar

Yes!! A Seven reference! So perfect for this prompt 🖤

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Songsterfunsterhamster's avatar

You stare uncertain:

Do you fear what’s inside me

Or its containment?

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Honeygloom's avatar

Well done! This is a dichotomy I hadn’t really thought of, but I like it🖤

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Thea Wood's avatar

I am Pandora

Made from clay, the first woman

Hiding hope from man

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Honeygloom's avatar

Awesome 😎 I love the defiance and just outright owning it🖤

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ClownWorld Shakespeare's avatar

Warbling Pandora

Spotify’s sister, born in…

Columbia House.

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Honeygloom's avatar

😂 Trying to decide if this Pandora is more or less problematic than the original.

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

A box of secrets,

So tempting to look inside,

Should've kept it closed... 😎

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Honeygloom's avatar

Very tempting indeed🖤

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Richard Blaisdell's avatar

Can’t say in haiku.

Woman dangerous, crafty clay statue forged.

Skilled artist. A gift and curse to mankind.

Fire not to be had. Prometheus stole.

Another gift, Pandora.

Creature comfort, beguiling bestowed by

Athena and Zeus.

A bride to Prometheus’ brother;

An afterthought. Retribution warning.

But a box ‘do not open’.

Curiosity another gift.

Nothing to fear.

Just a quick peek.

Toil and trouble unleashed

To succumb to illness.

Lastly, bottom of box. Hope survives.

Mankind returns for more pain.

Pays the exhorting medicinal price.

For one misdeed, but nurses resolve;

Put bandages on wounds.

A Red Cross bleeds, but pain not relieved.

Humanity sings a song of love

Made from water and clay

Binds cuts speechless;

Yet death survives.

Even though “Elpis” (hope) or expectations

Comes to the finish line. V

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Honeygloom's avatar

Wow! Epic! I love the retelling and the ending is wonderful🖤

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Richard Blaisdell's avatar

Glad I passed the audition. Now to enact on stage fore a rave review.

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Honeygloom's avatar

Play on!

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Richard Blaisdell's avatar

Act two coming up. Climax in act three. Just have to wait for critics.

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