La Belle Et La Bête (Beauty and the Beast)

The sweet neck of her life came adorned with dazzling jewels of the ages; jewels imbued with holy virtues, long before she was born. She rose, alone, Venus veiled above a sparkling sea, her love light flashing wherever she gazed. As she spun her cosmic spiral, a tiger, hungry with anger and bitterness, tore at the veil, hoping to claim victory—fire and passion. Each time she dipped her head, trying to free herself from the ships of ancient torments that lay anchored at her throat, the tiger roared for more, devouring jewel upon jewel—fire upon fire, passion upon passion. She lay, alone, her carotid adornment shortened by the tiger’s every move, her virtues struck down until she was left grasping at a choker ‘round her throat, her life soon to end. Then, in the billowing clouds of her torment, she saw Diana rising from the sea. She stood on an iridescent ivory shell, her arrow poised to strike. The tiger raged, but could not pierce the clouds. A red fury filled with fire and passion shot from its hell-born eyes; its massive jaws spewed hot saliva that set the sea on fire. The sea itself cried out, “Golden Diana, make your arrow swift and sure; the world in Venus is quickly fading. Strike now, the tiger, and restore all aright!” Even while the prayer was being uttered, Diana’s aim proved its power as the arrow found the tiger’s heart. In a flash, Venus was restored, her long strand of jewels aglow, the tiger at her side. Together they stood in a deep, iridescent ivory shell and made their way out to sea with a wind that was sure and true. All was set aright. All was free as they sailed into the rising moon, her Venus jewels lighting the way. Written in contemplation of Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate, One Second before Awakening, by Salvador Dali. (1944)