The Goddess Soup

Tortoise husband of salamander,
Childless couple for sorrowful years,
Their quest for child was beyond placation;
What is matrimony without fertility?
Child is gold,child is the crown on our heads,
Child is the retain wall that holds us to life.

So tortoise consulted goddess of fertility 
Her divinity prescribed goddess soup for her:
Fresh tomato,fresh paprika,olive oil,curry ;
Chicken,cow liver ,young lamb flesh ,
Tomorrow tortoise must collect the soup.

The tortoise,the soup and the priest:
Take the soup to salamander for fruition,
Behold thou must not taste of it;
He collected the soup and headed home,
On his way home the soup was scenting,
His gluttony at last consumed his will.

In a blink of eye,his stomach swelled up,
The pain of edema hit him everywhere,
His eyes became red like cherry fruit;
What could I do? Regret took its place,
 Restlessly tortoise returned to shrine.

At shrine he pleaded with goddess:
Ho priest I have come to beg,selah;
The  soup you cooked for her,selah ;
You said I should not eat from it,selah;
The thicket on my path fell me down,selah;
My hand touched the ground and touched my mouth;
I looked at my stomach,it had become balloo;
Oh priest I have come to beg,selah.

Like thunder a voice spoke to him:
Words of goddess like arrow had left the bow,
Remember the pillar of salt in the days of Lot,
The wage of disobedience forever stands.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Johnson Avatar
November 19, 2014 at 9:06 PM
Quite a strong moral to this story. Congratulations. Love, Joyce
Meier-Hans Avatar
November 19, 2014 at 2:39 PM
A great fable Kayod5. Congratulations on your win.
Kimathi Avatar
November 19, 2014 at 3:15 AM
I really enjoyed the narrative you penned down Kayode! It can make a nice fable collection for kids. You remind me of Aesop. Applause to your wonderful WIN! :-)
Lamoureux Avatar
November 18, 2014 at 7:32 PM
One of the best Kayode! Congratulations on afine piece of writing!
Kayode Avatar
November 18, 2014 at 8:00 PM
Thank you Richard,nice to hear from you...huggs
Dietrich Avatar
November 2, 2014 at 12:11 AM
wow, powerful fable here!! Is it a legend from your country? Or did you make it up all by yourself? I really like it. It could be in that fable contest!! Is it submitted there?
Kayode Avatar
November 2, 2014 at 1:29 AM
My inheritance from my place of birth, I'm happy I grew up a bit there before I became a sojourner.
Yvonne Avatar
October 29, 2014 at 3:32 AM
A masterful write. Written inside a tight form. It sings and it speaks with a crystal clear voice.
Kayode Avatar
October 29, 2014 at 1:55 PM
Good to have you here Maurice,thank you very much.
Mridul Avatar
October 25, 2014 at 2:31 PM
Nice title and nice poetry.
Kayode Avatar
October 25, 2014 at 10:59 PM
Thank you Das,nice to have you here.
Callus Avatar
October 25, 2014 at 7:25 AM
Enjoyed this narrative poem, Kayode; like the comparison with the woman of Lot who turned into salt....and the lesson that comes with it. Resistance to temptation does not come easy! // paul
Kayode Avatar
October 25, 2014 at 7:41 AM
Thank you Paul,nice to hear from you;happy weekend.
Marcum Wong Avatar
October 23, 2014 at 11:02 PM
You know how to capture the attention of the reader and at the same time relate a meaningful parable. I loved it!
Kayode Avatar
October 24, 2014 at 6:00 AM
Thank you Connie,I am really happy to hear from one of the leading poets here. Have a wonderful weekend.
Manassian Avatar
October 19, 2014 at 12:12 PM
WOW! That was quite the story...Yes, sometimes we have to suffer the consequences. It is sad...The moral is clear. Great write.
Kayode Avatar
October 19, 2014 at 12:14 PM
Thank you Eileen,nice to hear from you.
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