Artemis

[Nikki 2]

A while ago I was asked to find out some information about "Artemis". In response I wrote this short poem. It's not profound but I thought someone might like it.

Artemis the Huntress

Artemis the huntress, lady of the beasts,
With sickle moon and silver bow she rides the winds of east
In her quiver - moonbeams, the arrows for her bow
She shoots them from a crescent moon to light the earth below.

The forests and the mountains, a legacy from Zeus.
A wilderness, like Artemis, with spirit wild and loose.
Stags to draw her chariot, and a pack of wild hounds
The Goddess of the maiden moon, the night her hunting ground.

Artemis the archer, with her unfailing aim
Took up Apollo's challenge and played a fateful game
"That's the target in the distance" her jealous brother said
She raised her bow and sent the shot that killed Orion dead.

Filled with grief and sorrow, she turned Orion into stars
And shot him to the heavens, where reborn he shines afar
With her nymphs her sole companions, still she hunts with silver bow
And Orion hunts the night time sky . . .
"As is above, so is below"

[Dendrias]

I like it!
Especially the flow of the words. Well done!

If You add "O" and change "she" to "You" (and perhaps omit the passage about Orion), You could perhaps "draw down the moon".

[Nikki 2]

Thank you Dendrias. I love the changes you suggested, it gives the poem some depth, infact it gives it a different dimension!
Would love to know more about "drawing down the moon"?
BB
Nikki (2)

[Dendrias]

That was half jokingly. Greek hymns have a similar structure of invocation and (re)telling a myth. That's what You poem reminded me of.

What does the myth of Orion's death mean to You?
I think I can see kind of a tragedy-structure, where "spirit wild and loose", "unfailing aim" and jealousy are heading for the inevitable "grief and sorrow" Artemis's mastership contain. The hunter(ess), by fate, has to shoot what was dear to her ... well, and kill the hunter. - Even the gods are subject to fate.