The Voyeur and the Harpy

[Erthona]

Most if not all Greek myths tend to be archetypal and so offer a nice lens through which to view a current situation, however when the readers predominantly seem to focus on the myth, rather what it is used to imply, I think there is a problem with the focus of the poem. Also the coyness in stating what myth is being used naturally draws the reader in that direction as it is human nature to try and solve a mystery. I would suggest this was intended to work on the personal level as well as on a sociocultural level, that is there is the foreplay/interplay of lovers and well as that between the object of fascination (the star) and the "news" media/readership. I think that "perception as reality" wars with reality is probably the heart of this poem, and is encapsulated in the last stanza. However, with the poems internal balance off as much as it is, no amount of striving will produce more than brief flashes of insight, as the sum total is not much more than nonsense wrapped up in the appearance of a well crafted poem of "deep thoughts". Sometimes I think the cleverness of the writer becomes so overweening in it's desire to be smart and subtle, it destroys almost anything of value in the creation, what I call in my own case, "having a little to much fun"

Dale