Poetry

[Philomel]

Battles many have I fought.
Both physically and mentally.
Both emotionally and in persuit of destiny.
Standing against
What was expected of me.
Being one who stood up
To those who sought to rule over me.
They said I was nothing but a whore for others' pleasure
But I
I
But I said no.
I said that I did not want to be
What so many had been before.
Instead of being raped, of being accepting of
A man's world
I said no and that power for a woman begins
In the bedchamber, where secrets are unfurled.
Thus I began as a spy
An assassin, a secret keeper, a charlatan.
An actor, a performer, a mystic,
Selling their secrets for gold.
Gold, my gold, which I then
Paid into the trade of my friends.
Their lives, I bought them back for them
And we danced like lilies bloom.
Gilded by the gold of those we betrayed
Beautiful flowers are we.

[Philomel]

Traitor, they called me
Betrayer of trust.
I was placed to the side as coup-de-tat became the norm,
Named as one who could not be trusted.
All because I decided to serve my interests,
To raise a guild of my own.
One of secrets, one of life,
Whilst the assassins' sanctum was my home.
Then I became just me. Just me in my world.
My influence grew, my name grew.
I became a brothel-keeper, a saviour to some ...
A ship mate, then a -
Pirate Captain.
(That one still baffles me too.)
More brothels wanted my protection. My name grew famous.
Lover was I, but also secret keeper. Matron, warrior, sailor, killer, general ...
Matriarch.
I am Philomel of the Gilded Lily. We stand for female freedom.
You will find us in every safe brothel, where the women are respected. So respected that they own their own.
And I am a legacy, I am told.
I still have a ship, but now have a fortress, an army, a following.
I am a high priestess of my Goddess Drys,
And above all ...
I am a mother.