The Sculptor

John W. May

Rhymed

With joy he set upon the stone
Releasing from its marble tomb
The likeness of a lovely maid
Whose grandeur filled the humble room.
What hapless rock this used to be,
Half-figured now, she seemed a god:
The more his chisel carved her shape,
The more her beauty went unflawed.
Then sudden in full figure came
The stunning sight he longed to see,
But what he saw he wouldn't dare—
'Twas woman's flesh, alive as he!

Astonished, he implored her name,
Yet from her lips came no reply.
Then crouching cautious by her frame,
He dared and touched the maiden's thigh.
'Tis marble, smooth but hard as flint—
Transfixed her gaze looked softly on.
In frozen silence there she stood ...
His heart to her now deeply drawn.
He scanned again her eyes, her face,
And still she seemed to him so real:
Her lips and locks and tender looks,
Showed living flesh despite the feel.

"O God, forbid I be deceived,
Or taste delusion's lying fruit,
But how alive to me is she
Who stands before me still and mute?"
In desperation now he prayed
The frozen maiden's quick release—
And not for him, but for her sake,
That she might wake and go in peace.
He feared his craft imprisoned her
And fell before her sad, dismayed ...
Then slumber filled his teary eyes,
Which closed beside the thing he made.

Within a haze of cloud and dream
A tender voice spoke thankfully:
"An ancient curse had trapped me here,
But you, my savior, set me free!"
She bade him peace and blessed his Muse,
Then kissed her hero on his brow,
And as he woke the maid was gone ...
Amazed, he sat there lonely now.
But soon elation filled his heart—
For she is free and dwells in peace.
And now he sculpts remembering
His love for art and her release.

About this poem

A sort of allegory, this poem is dedicated to those [poets, painters, musicians, etc] who are reluctant to share their works of art, and to those who have overcome that hesitancy.

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Submitted by Vixility on September 25, 2023

: 1:46 min read
: 158 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	XABACXXBDCXC DEDEXXXFXGXG XHCHBIXIXBXB XCXCXJFJXIXI
Closest metre	Iambic tetrameter
Characters	1,700
Words	349
Stanzas	4
Stanza Lengths	12, 12, 12, 12

Full analysis for The Sculptor »

John W. May

John W. May has lived in Colorado all his life. He currently works in the field of ophthalmology and loves to mountain bike and read about history. John first became a lover of poetry in 2008 after having read a poem by John Milton. He has been reading and studying the works of various poets since. His favorite poets are Emily Dickinson, Fyodor Tyutchev and W. B. Yeats. more…

All John W. May poems | John W. May Books

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12 Comments

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lovingempath
I'm just getting around to reading a few poems from contests I missed. In my opinion; I think this piece of yours has everything to make it 'perfect' I even looked to see if you had 'missed a beat' or a rhyming word etc. Didn't find a single flaw. But the entire sentiment and emotion is what really captures me. And it isn't easy to put an entire story into a four stanza piece of poetry...and still have those strong elements working for you!.But you did it. Beautifully written: Beautiful poem. more »
LikeReply 14 months ago
- Vixility
  Funny thing about this poem (which demanded a lot of time and imagination) is that it was partially inspired by your poem “Helen”. That line condemning 'all of the men who continue to use and abuse their special muse' made me want to produce a character whose heart was in the right place—a selfless man who loved art “… not for him, but for her sake.”
  
  I say ‘demanded a lot of time’, but it was time that I enjoyed, to be sure.
  
  Thank you for stopping by, Robin. AND I’m glad you’re back … more »
  LikeReply 14 months ago
- lovingempath
  Funny thing about my poem 'Helen' John. I don't think I really spent nearly enough time or energy trying to develop it; but I'm happy it inspired you a little. At the same time I wrote 'Helen' it seems like I was just pumping out piece after piece as the thoughts crossed my mind: Quantity not quality. And this past month I worked several ideas without results. It took me a month of agonizing over this; And actually lost sleep over the stress I was causing myself.. The ideas were more suited to 'short story' form than a poem. At the last minute I yanked the poem I had planned on posting and replaced it with my 'dog' thing :). I'm waiting for an inspiration that will trigger the old poetic-flow again. There are a few things that are missing with me right now: One thing is the ability to hold on to a thought for more than a few seconds. That creates a bit of a problem when you're tryng to finish a sentence Like right now :). Thanks again for the compliment on my 'Helen' piece. more »
  LikeReply 14 months ago
- Vixility
  I deeply sympathize with your plight, Robin. Sometimes I’ll enter an empty state where nothing seems to come to me—something akin to writer’s block, but a bit more palpable. In these times I’ve learned that reading certain writers (Nabokov, Rilke, Dickinson) helps pull me out of it and even inspires me to experiment with language and ideas that would have otherwise never come.
  
  The short term memory thing, however, has got to be a very, very difficult to deal with. This sounds a lot more menacing than the annoyances of writer’s block. I hope that this resolves soon, and I pray that it does. more »
  LikeReply 14 months ago
ritchiechelle
Absolutely amazing
LikeReply 15 months ago
- Vixility
  Aww … I wish I could ‘love’ rather than like this. You are too sweet my friend.
  LikeReply4 months ago
Soulwriter
Excellent - what better gift then taking words where life cannot. I was transported for a moment. Thank you
LikeReply 15 months ago
- Vixility
  Charlotte, thank you for stopping by and leaving that nice comment. I think any writer hearing that their work has ‘transported’ a reader to another place—I think they would be profoundly grateful.
  
  Thank you. You made my day. more »
  LikeReply 15 months ago
David_Zeoli
Wonderfully written! Definitely speaks to me seeing as I was very reluctant in sharing anything I’ve written until very recently.
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  So happy that you ARE sharing your works. I know you have a handful of fans (myself included) who really appreciate your obvious ability with words along with the very relatable subjects you chose. I'm always eager to see what you (and others) are going to submit.
  Strange, though ... from other conversations I've had, there are A LOT of people here who are posting their works who previously would have never thought of doing so. I don't know why this is trending, but it makes me incredibly happy that people feel safe enough here to express themselves openly through verse.
  I hope more 'vagabond poets' are able to find a home somewhere for their works. more »
  LikeReply 15 months ago
adam.gutteridge
What a stunning poem John! Your imagination is without limits it seems. I love the timelessness of this work. It would not look out of place centuries ago. Again, like your other works, I always get the sense of the care, empathy and love with which you write (as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before!). You inspire me and I’m sure many others with your work. more »
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Adam, thank you! I've really been fired up lately by having read so many remarkable pieces on this site. Your works, among many others I've come across here, have deeply inspired me to dive in a little deeper. Thank you thank you! more »
  LikeReply5 months ago
B.mathislange
Oh my I felt every line so intensely you are far from this day and time. we are blessed to share your work that deserves the utmost respect and put into a place by a garden where those of us still dream. I love the language Thank you so much for this poem .Astounding work! more »
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Brandi (aka B)! that is too kind of you to say. It was a fun poem to work on. Those words of yours: "... a garden where those of us still dream ..." beautiful words that could easily serve as a foundation for a poem in its own right. Just saying ...
  Thank you again for stopping by and commenting. more »
  LikeReply5 months ago
Jewoo525
Great poem John! Knowing you are somewhat of an arcanist of lesser known historical stories, I thought this one was definitely a reference to Pygmalion- the sculptor in Greek myth who fell in love with his own work and begged the gods to bring it to life. I was surprised to see no reference even in the notes, I always enjoy your references.

Either way, reference or not, fantastic poem and deserving of a win. Keep writing man you're really good! more »
LikeReply 26 months ago
- Vixility
  Je! Thanks, my friend.
  
  Definitely had Pygmalion in the back of my mind while writing this piece, but I also was inspired by something Robin mentioned in her poem “Helen”: a waning to “all of the men / Who continue to use, and abuse / Their own special Muse …”
  
  I know the Greeks depict Pygmalion as a righteous man, but I wanted to write a poem where the sculptor brought forth Beauty not for his own pleasure, but rather that it might for its own sake—hence my departure from the Greek myth, and my salute the the warning Robin’s poem encouraged.
  
  You’ve got a keen and very intelligent eye, my friend. Thank you thank you for stopping by! more »
  LikeReply 16 months ago
Risingwerdz
It was between this and another poem. I voted for the other. This is a profound poem with notes of intrinsic insight.
LikeReply 26 months ago
- Vixility
  Hey! Thank you for stopping by, Tim. Deeply, deeply appreciated …
  
  What an amazing, AMAZING piece “The Eternal Shore” is! Congrats on that well deserved win.
  LikeReply 16 months ago
Symmetry60
Oh boy! You made my top picks. I narrowed it down to "The Duet" simply because it was that good. I even told them it would get first place when I voted for it. Turns out I'm smarter than I look. This is ANOTHER top-quality piece by the man always in the hunt. It's a privilege to read your work, John. more »
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Hey, thank you brother! That is so cool that you predicted the win of that amazing poem! Adam’s work is always a great pleasure to read.
  
  By the way, I would love to borrow that crystal ball of yours one of these days, if you don’t mind. more »
  LikeReply 16 months ago
JokerGem
This allegorical theme is one, quite pertinent to my continued participation on this site and these contests...kudos on breathing life into an original concept... and landing yourself another drinking apparatus! more »
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Thanks, my friend. I loved your piece as well, and your Bruce Coville quote really sheds light on it (I’ll swing by soon and share my thoughts and notes).
  LikeReply6 months ago
susan.brumel
This poem is a stunning work of art that tells a beautiful story and sits on the page like a sculpture itself. Bravo!
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Wow! What a compliment—and with such poetic language in its own right!
  
  Thank you, Sue
  LikeReply6 months ago
Norrel28
It has mindset and it has potential to be great.
LikeReply 16 months ago
- Vixility
  Means a lot, your compliment. The poem was a fun undertaking.
  LikeReply6 months ago

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"The Sculptor" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/170895/the-sculptor>.

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