Piercing of the Veil
Heloise and Abelard
Let me sing of love - body and soul,
Of fair Heloise and Abelard in the Temple
Of Knowledge and Truth.
...
Let me sing of life - body and soul
and the revelation of reason divine,
"Can you see it? Like a piercing of the veil?"
...
"Can you see it?" Asked Peter Abelard,
"I see and apprehend,” answered Heloise,
As his finger tapped a passage in the book.
...
"Character reveals moral purpose" quoted he,
"Yes, yes" she answered with passionate blush,
"What we choose or avoid must define us!"
...
Let me sing of truth - body and soul,
Our hearts see so much more
Then our eyes ever behold.
...
Let me sing of desire - body and soul,
Of the ardent words that once flowed
When Peter dared woo fair Heloise.
...
"All the joy of the world lives
In thy lightest touch, dear one,"
His words sweetening her comely gifts.
...
He saw in her shyly lowered gaze,
The same desire as he that burned and blazed
In her body fair and demure.
...
Let me sing of love - body and soul,
As Peter dared kiss her flushing cheeks
And she returned the same gift to his.
...
Let me sing of wisdom - body and soul,
Of wise Solomon's admonition
'Before its time, do not awaken love.'
...
But when his lips first touched hers
All wisdom did they abandon,
What we choose or avoid must us define.
...
They tried to return to Master Aristotle's words,
But his hands soon strayed instead
T0 her breasts and after to his bed.
...
Let me sing of honor lost - body and soul,
Of fair Heloise heavy with unwanted child,
And proud brothers with vengeance vowed.
...
The price that Peter paid was high,
After harsh instruction from the barber's shears.
But Heloise's price was higher still.
...
Courtly love was yet new in France,
Barbarism not yet cast far behind,
And poor Heloise in disgrace Peter sent away.
...
Let me sing of love - body and soul,
Of fair Heloise and Abelard in the Temple
Of Knowledge and Truth.
...
Let me sing of life - body and soul
and the revelation of reason divine,
"Can you see it? Like a piercing of the veil?"
About the Creator
John Cox
Twisted teller of mind bending tales. I never met a myth I didn't love or a subject that I couldn't twist out of joint. I have a little something for almost everyone here. Cept AI. Aint got none of that.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
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Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Comments (18)
What a dismal, yet eloquently beautiful, tale of impetuous love’s woe.
Wow, that was incredible, John! And this line, just stopped me in my tracks, 'What we choose or avoid must us define.' What an amazing piece :)
A regal, powerful tribute to a tragic couple- such a reflective, thought-provoking exploration of Abelard and Heloise! Incredible work, John!
"Oh the humanity!" So well unravelled, so pathetic-rendered, so empathic. Again, quite an accomplishment.
Beautifully tragic piece. Well done.
Oh now I feel sad!
Loved it from the beginning till the end! You have incredible talent when it comes to tragic poems! I could see the scene in front of me...
Such a beautiful, tragic, sad tale told with such a gentle, deftness that only Mr Cox can deliver!
This punched me in the feels today, John! Read it 3 times. Thank you for great poetry 🙏
Nice!!! Next step, the recording studio. Hope your ballad voice is ready. Seriously though, this was different and ingenious, John. Loved it!
Absolutely superb! This has all the elements of an epic ballad! This is lyrical bliss with an aching tale of tragedy! Excellent work, John!
This is fantastic John, so, well, balladesque! I can really imagine it being sung in a hall while folk listen, bewitched.
Absolutely beautiful and tragic as most ballads are. I used to have The Kiss hanging over my bed. Really loved this one!
This seemed very lyrical and I sang this to my own tune. Loved it so much!
A ballad! I've not read a ballad for years! Fitting too in light of the subject matter which is a story I'd never heard of so you have educated me today. They called their son Astrolabe. What a choice. I loved this story of lasting love and what you did with it.
What a sad tale those two had! I loved your ballad! What became of the child, raised by aunt perhaps known as 'mother.'
The repetition of the lines “Let me sing of love - body and soul,” echoing through the verses, created a powerful refrain that draws me ever deeper into the heartbreaking tale....What a beautifully woven and soul-stirring ballad of love, wisdom, and loss! I liked it 😊
What a lovely but tragic ballad! Temptation is so bittersweet. Wonderfully written, John!