The Antigone Poems, featuring poetry by Marie Slaight and drawings by Terrence Tasker, was created in the 1970's, while the artists were living between Montreal and Toronto. A powerful retelling of the ancient tale of defiance and justice, the book is starkly illustrated, and its poetry captures the anguish and despair of the original tale in an unembellished modernized rendition.
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CHAPTER FOUR
lXII
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
This voice Is afraid to speak.
Afraid Of the brutal metal Of its words.
Words that scrape. Words that scar. Words that have no
peace.
If I utter this voice This great Aching scream
Its horror wil l echo forever.
lXIv
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
The empty breast.
A lament For the lost sweetness
Or a battleground For the warring dead?
lXvI
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
In exile
I walk on blood I carve a vein I bear sons
In exile
I carry screams I seek revenge I await my return
In exile.
lXvIII
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
Earth in torment Earth in tears
Tired
Wracked
Groaning with ef fort To remain.
And are we corpses clutching? (The gnawed bone, The splintered
throat.)
Find my earth. Reclaim my desire.
lXX
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
gods speak to the wind and winds whip through me
lXXII
THE ANTIGONE POEMS
I remember only the rage Screaming My head breaking Wanting to
kil l You are a murderer Then nothing.
