The Nymph and the Dryad ~ Part 2

~ Veronica 
She wandered by the riverside
To drown her sorrows in the tide:
"I am alone in this vile world,
My only friends are beasts and birds;
They pass away - unknown, unsung,
While I am destined to stay young!
The soul - once hurt - forever mourns -
My woeful heart is pierced by thorns!
The solitude, which I adored,
Brings sorrow now - and nothing more…"

The sombre waters lured her in,
As if the dark, beguiling stream
Has whispered softly in her ear:
"Come here, you're not alone, my dear!"
The Dryad hid a heavy stone
Beneath her dress - "All will be gone!"
She uttered, overwhelmed with grief:
"May Thanatos bring me relief!"
The sun was sinking in the waves;
At last, she felt a warm embrace…

Embosomed by an ocean whiff,
Appeared her saviour - the Nymph.
She caught the Dryad in her arms
Succumbing to unearthly charms
Of this fair creature bound to earth;
Is it a blessing or a curse -
The meeting of the Sea and Land?
"Come slowly, dear, hold my hand…"
The water fairy murmured so,
"And I will take you back to shore!"

The Dryad smiled, "Now I know
Whose voice, soft as the moonlight glow,
I heard while drifting off to sleep!
This tender music made me weep -
It seemed to come out of the blue…"
"You dreamt of me?" - "I thought of you."
The Nymph has rescued her and sighed:
"If only Day could marry Night!"
At once, the universe eclipsed -
The Dryad kissed her crimson lips.

They've been together ever since,
Although if you are not convinced -
Look up into the sky at noon:
There dwells a shadow of the moon
Concealed behind a wispy cloud -
The water Nymph became, no doubt,
Inseparable from the sun;
She blossoms when the day is done,
And in the waltzing stars above
The Dryad writes her songs of love.
In this painting, two beautiful young fairies - a blonde and a brunette -embrace surrounded by flowers and swans
Two Fairies Embracing in a Landscape with a Swan by Hans Zatzka

Illustrations:

  • Melisande in the Wood by Rhona Olive (Pixie) O’Harris
  • Little Mermaid from the 1903 Dr. Miles’ Pain Pills Calendar
  • The Nymph and the Dryad from The new world fairy book (1904) 
  • A Mermaid on a Dolphin’s Back by Michael Goodman
  • Lady in the Moon – Victorian Postcard
  • Reaching for the Moon by Edward Eggleston

Published by Veronica

Hello, lovely stranger! My name is Veronika Sizova, and I am currently studying in Canada. Since early childhood, I have been mesmerized by the literary art. The words – exquisite, intricately intertwined, sophisticated, magnificently powerful and fragile simultaneously, – remind me of the oceanic waves, and poetry hides in their unfathomable depths. This place is meant to become a sanctuary for the tortured souls, aflame with a passion for literature.

22 thoughts on “The Nymph and the Dryad ~ Part 2”

  1. Oh my goodness…. Veronica, I am enchanted beyond enchanted by this… a water-nymph soul-sister’s kiss. Virginia Woolf’s happy ending… to the moon as lit by hidden sun, this poem has me sending. Wow!!! And the curated artwork is perfection… along with the presentation. Truly amazing!!

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    1. Dear Lia, I am pleasantly astounded by your profound understanding of my poetry! Even though we’ve never met, our souls are connected through literary art.♥️☺️

      With my warmest gratitude and love,
      Veronica

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      1. Thank you 🙏💕👯‍♂️ I agree we are connected in our deep passion for creation and appreciation for the same. Likewise to you, much love and gratitude. With heartfelt hugs. 💖

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    1. Dear Kevin, thanks ever so much for your appreciation! I’m glad you found fragments of beauty and eroticism in my poem.
      Warmest regards, Veronica

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  7. Ethereal and riveting! ”There dwells a shadow of the moon/Concealed behind a wispy cloud -” is a nuanced outcry of the soul in true melancholy. It’s a vicereal escapeda from a daily existential routine, Veronica ⭐️

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    1. Dear Stephanie, words aren’t enough to express my gratitude! You always find the perfect way to describe my poetic musings! ❤️ The “shadow of the moon” was inspired by a passage from Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”:

      “Sometimes in the afternoon sky the moon would pass white as a cloud, furtive, lustreless, like an actress who does not have to perform yet and who, from the audience, in street clothes, watches the other actors for a moment, making herself inconspicuous, not wanting anyone to pay attention to her.”

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  9. This is incredible, Veronica. It’s just… stunning. I do not know what I can say. Words elude me perhaps, but not you as you weave them with grace, eloquence and beauty. This is beautiful writing, and it is so strong with an evocative meaning. The mood, the tone, it’s amazing, it’s poignant and it’s visceral. I read it aloud as well, and it flows so intrinsically. You enchant your reader with the world of your words, you immerse them into the story, and it flows with a tangible rhythm and life. Never stop writing, I implore you. This is art and beauty, and the world should see it. Always keep inspiring. ❤

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    1. Dear Lucy, thank you from the bottom of my heart! To be honest, I teared up reading this… The words of praise from such an excellent, imaginative writer mean the world to me. Although I have already succumbed to the tumultuous university life, I promise to keep sharing my poetry here!
      😭 ❤️

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