pandora

They say
the lame god molded the clay
into the likeness of a woman
fairer than the earth had ever seen;
and the bright eyed goddess clothed her
in delicate robes that
human hands could have never knitted;
the divine Graces put a necklace
of shimmering pearls around her neck
and they sparkled like the stars at night;
Time put the sweet fragrance
of spring flowers into her hair
and even into her private parts
so that men would be drawn there;
the goddess of wisdom
taught her wit
and how to lie enchantingly
so that none would want the truth;
and the goddess of love
taught her how to talk and move
with such allure
that she would be irresistible;
they called her Pandora
and they gave to her a box
with the explicit instructions
that she should never open it,
but they winked among themselves
even as they instructed her;
finally, they sent her among men
in the hope
that she would save them.

– matt at shadow of iris

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.