It has taken a bit for this poem to come together.
The inspiration for it come from German, Greek and Roman mythology...a blending of the legends of the river sirens of Germany...the Lorelei...and the tale of lost love associated with Artemis/Diana the goddess of the moon.
In structure, I studied both Kubla Khan and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, using a modified abaab rhyme scheme for cinquain or five line stanza and a standard ballad meter(xaxa) for the quatrains and octaves.
The subject matter is erotic and intended for mature readers.

Lorelei


In harmonies of misted dreams
Are memories of lost desire.
They beckon with the siren’s song,
“I’ll give you pleasure, is that wrong?
Let me warm you in my fire.”

From harmonies and misted dreams,
He wakes wrapped in sheets, cold as stone
Yet still he hears the sultry song
“I’ll give you pleasure, is that wrong?
Come to me! Don’t sleep alone.”

Slowly he rises from his bed
And before a long mirror, stands
Remembering when he was young
And how quickly it was wrung
By time’s remorseless hands.

Once maidens vied to share his bed
And he welcomed them one and all
But that was then, yes that was then
Could he know such pleasure again?
“Yes!” said the siren’s call.

Naked he walks into the night
Following the enticing song
Through the forest to the river
Without stumble to the water
Which runs swift, cold and strong.

She’s a warm glow within the night,
Laying in naked decadence
A fairy queen upon her throne,
Draped upon the murmuring stone,
In erotic flagrance.

With a smile she calms the running water,
A softly rippling mirror it becomes
Replicating the bold and starry sky
Filled with slow, provocative rhythms.
To him she sings. “Meet me among the stars
And I’ll wash away the heat of the day.
We will share pleasures. How can that be wrong?
Come! Let us make love in the Milky Way!”

He willingly surrenders to her song
Diving into and swimming the heavens
Ignoring the water, cold as ice
Driven by her sultry, song of passion.
Suddenly, she was in his arms
A voluptuous dichotomy
Of liquid softness and firm resilience,
Of ocean fragrance and sweetness of honey.

Lush lips met his, taking his breath away
Full breasts filled his hands, like two doves nesting
Her hips moved against his like rolling waves
And he responded, his passions cresting.
A part of him knew where this love would end
But cared not, feeling the desire quicken
Molten became all his pain, passion and dreams
Flowing into her like a long, velvet ribbon.

Drifting away into the shadowed depths
Spent now, he gave her one last kiss,
His was another soul for her to claim…
“This is wrong.” She sang and pulled him from the abyss.

What prompted her to save him that night
Neither the gods nor man can answer.
They are seen there still, in ripples and waves
So the bards sing in lyrical staves
Of Lorelei and her mortal lover,

Of how they glow within the night,
Laying in naked decadence,
Always together, never alone
Where the river murmurs over the stone
In erotic elegance.

© ewrichardson 2007