DIVA

By Robert Ranieri, 2016

Floating over to the top stair, her head is poised,

only her eyes revolve upon the audience below.

Blithe breathing, and faint tones pass her lips.

Sliding feet begin her pavane pace, step to follow step

downward. As she descends the slow spiral staircase

nearer to where we recline, her voice ascends the scale,

with finely attenuated notes, higher and higher still  

 from pursing lips, then more song from wide open

mouth flowing up, to cascade down and rise again

among vaults and luminous ceiling arcs.

We follow this our celebrated huntress. Diana.

She does not flee our gaze. How can we forget love

longed for but then denied.
        
        
We are carried aloft to remain with sensuous melody,

while her flexing legs extend the sway of folds of fine silk,

and open fingers guide along the curving balustrade.

Alighted upon the last curved landing, she twirls in slow

motion. Her voice in vibrant cadenza, now rises up  

again to savor each passage to follow, as caresses will

linger in every ear, though seeming to chastise

each unrepentant lover.
        
Love longed for then quickly denied.

Alighting with a merry turn, her last step reached

contains every escalating passage of sonorous delight,

while the flowers of her glowing torso, are now

understood as amulets of warm light.

An aria of such dimension has kept each hunter away.

The huntress sings of meadows, while running streams,

trill within the hunter's reverie, and linger forever this day.