Sirens

(Victorian artist William Holman Hunt was
both attracted and repelled by his models)

Can we agree that, terrified of sex,
Hunt couldn’t help but hunt it, seek it out?
There doesn’t seem to be a shred of doubt.
He felt his women exercised some hex,
conspiracy throughout the lower decks,
full frontal on his Puritan redoubt!
He hated what he couldn’t live without
(the only punter in the multiplex).

And Annie, Fanny, Edith – on they came,
alluring, curing, reassuring, fey,
and Hunt (who fastened fast on blame and shame)
was racked by guilt and had to run away.
Another mantis, but the same old prey,
(mixed metaphor) Hunt headed for the flame.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

Poem

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March 3, 2017 at 2:49 AM
This intrigues me... Why does he marry, but despises them the same time? I love this: "Another mantis, but the same old prey" :) This sonnet is full of pun and incredibly intricate, and I love it.
White Avatar
March 3, 2017 at 4:37 AM
Oh he was? I am very happy I am not, it saves me a whole bunch of self-inflicted homophobic misery :)
Coy Avatar
March 3, 2017 at 3:41 AM
He was messed up in that protestant-puritan way, wanting but fearing sex. And I'm very happy that you enjoyed it.
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