Moon-Eye Diamond

Moon-Eye Diamond
© Surazeus
2025 06 27

Sunlight flashes through trees into her eyes 
as Orphne runs swiftly round gnarly trunks, 
and slips through thick veil of blackberry vines 
to escape gray wolves snapping at her heels 
along Gorgyra River in huge cave 
where she falls exhausted to catch her breath. 

Shuffling toward her from the underworld, 
Marsyas, draped in tattered wolf-fur cape, 
holds up bright diamond to observe her face, 
then grins and offers lime for her to eat, 
so she accepts the fruit with gentle smile, 
but as she peels he swings wand at her head. 

Just before the thick wand fractures her skull 
Akheron grasps it with his brawny hand, 
then punches face of the lascivious satyr 
who shrieks in rage that he found the nymph first, 
but Orphne grins and snatches from his hand 
huge diamond that gleams with light of the moon. 

While Marsyas crawls away in fogged gloom, 
Orphne and Akheron follow the river 
to their secret cave in the underworld 
where she places the bright Moon-Eye Diamond 
beside the emerald, ruby, and topaz 
that she had stolen from the satyr gang. 

Setting son Askalaphos on her lap, 
Orphne tells him the legend of the gems 
when gang of satyrs many years ago, 
lead by Hades, fought the dragon Typhon 
to help Pluto attain the underworld, 
and gain control over huge jewel mines. 

Searching for strong workers to mine the jewels, 
the satyr gang attacked farm villages, 
kidnapped healthy men from their weeping wives, 
and forced them to labor in caves of death, 
including her brave father Orion, 
who died when he was crushed by falling rocks. 

Giving Askalaphos sliced pear to eat, 
Orphne explains that she now seeks revenge 
by finding each member of the satyr gang 
and stealing precious jewels from their hands, 
then smiles as her little boy with big eyes 
plays with the jewels that gleam with eerie light. 

While Akheron fishes in Gorgyra River, 
Orphne plays heart-enchanting melodies 
on long flute she carved from arm bone of Typhon, 
but neither notice the large eagle owl 
that watches their boy on the river shore, 
eyes gleaming red as pomegranate fruit.