Venus

[ChristopherSea]

Dale, I’ll assume your Dido is the Queen of Carthage and not the singer who stole the name (just kidding). Here are some comments on your poem:

Venus *As Venus was the mother of Aeneas, I assume that it’s her monolog.
‘Venus, the goddess of love?’ would have been an apropos elaboration of your title*

. *you have a period here, I thought it was dirt on my screen*

Great Dido, Love inflamed your passion, * Using ‘Great Dido’ you had the opportunity to acknowledge her establishment of Carthage
and then contrast it with ‘Tragic Dido’ the lover*
then caused the object of your affliction
to flee, over the sea, away from you, secretly. *I like the triple rhyme and alliteration*
Feeble Dido, not being able to stand the ache of his loss, *'Feeble' strongly emphasizes how unsympathetic Venus is*
you put a knife through it;
then you crossed. Did this bisection
split you from your pain, *I might add enjambment and make a line break after bisection, using the poetical device to illustrate and emphasize fission*
as it removed you from your mortal frame?
Exquisite Love made poor Dido go insane.
How delicious, how apropos, how…loving!

I like mythology references in poetry. I am uncertain of your personal thesis, but the mocking and hateful nature of Venus is clear. Venus is certainly sociopathic, but was Dido insane or just swept up in a fit of passion and the grief of loneliness? On the other hand, she did marry her Uncle previously. Who can figure these Greek/Roman cast of characters?

Cheers/Chris