The goddess demands perfect chastity:
Thirty years of dutiful service
Tending the hearth that warms reality
Ritual and sacrificial practice
Prestige and influence are her gifts
Seats for dramatic spectacles and games
No gaze to meet her own ever lifts
The Pontifex Maximus heeds her claims
No hand presumes to defile her pure flesh
Any trespasser seeks a sepulcher
Her mind is cultivated, her thoughts fresh
One day, the goddess will relinquish her
Who will be worthy of this holy bride
Leaving the temple with nothing to hide?
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Keep reading
More stories from D. J. Reddall and writers in Poets and other communities.
Do You have a Support Network?
Life is harder when you’re on your own. Human beings are social creatures, and we usually feel better when we have support from a strong social network around us. For most people, it’s our families that hold us together like glue.
By Elizabeth Woodsabout 19 hours ago in Psyche
Comments (4)
Incredible poem! This evokes a sense of power and authority associated with a figure with great influence!
Haven’t seen the Vestal before - what inspiration!
This was so poignant and beautifully written! Loved your poem!
This comment has been deleted
Nice, D.J.. Vestal virgins have always had this mystery, haven't they?