Have you ever seen a book being written? | The Melopoeia Stains
Explore the creative process of 'Ladies of Opposites'. Oryanna Borges introduces the English Section with a powerful reflection on masking, neurodivergence, and the new poem 'The Melopoeia Stains'
The Melopoeia Stains
The melopoeia stains,
Disfigures the mask
And halts in a cry
That strips you
Of my gaze;
Violates your holy body
And hurls it
Upon the altar
Vandalized
My lyricism, the only mantle,
to resignify you
into insidious flesh
shall subdue you
Humanized
Good morning, dear reader.
Have you ever seen a book being written? It is always a unique event. But what about a book of poetry that, more than just a motif, has a clear purpose and a defined framework? It sounds like madness, I know, but that is how the project Persephone in Hades: Cora in Contrition was born.
The work shared in the section Perséfone em Hades was born from a musical echolalia. In 2009, during one of many clashes with my greatest opponent—death—the song Perfeição by Legião Urbana echoed insistently in my mind: “Eros and Thanatos, Persephone and Hades…”.
I won that battle. The proof lies in the poem Eros and Thanatos and in the fact that, more than 15 years later, I am now planning the continuity of Persephone in Hades: Cora in Contrition . Originally conceived as a single poem, the “spoils” of that struggle became an invitation to write about the hell of loving through the myth of Persephone and here it is .
The Path to the Epilogue
For years, I tried to write something similar to Eros ans Thanatos, but only much later did I realize it would become a full book. It was a moment when I had to define who I was and recognize the masks we wear to dance in the “sacrosanct matrimony”.
One of the cornerstones of this work is Heroism, the epilogue. When a “perfect” life dissolves, the limerent object often becomes the only comfort. Heroism was the recognition of this cycle of refuge in platonic love.
Note: If you are unfamiliar with limerence, I suggest diving into the section Poesia para Ler, where I explore these themes through devotional writings and the roots of this feeling. Let me know if you want me to translate more of my thoughts about limerence in the autism spectrum.
The Crossing and the Mask
The journey of Persephone narrates a trajectory through the “hell of loving”: from the secret world to the consolidation of an “armor of consciousness”. There, the character recognizes herself as a poet and decides to rise to the surface, conscious of her duality.
But it is not easy. Today, aware of being neurodivergent, I understand that the masks coating the feminine are even heavier. Persephone’s fear of being “Cora again”—the palimpsest that serves the world without ever bearing fruit for herself—is a metaphor for habitual masking, the cost of which is extremely high.
The Next Step: Ladies of Opposites
I have always been curious to know how this woman would carry herself once she reached the surface.
From now on, I will share the second part of this work here: Ladies of Opposites: The Doctrine of Contraries. Next week, I will share more about this title and its connection to my other works.
I invite you to join me as this new chapter unfolds.
A question for you: As I begin this new phase, I would love to hear your thoughts on how you’d like to experience this journey. What would you like to see here first?
The Past: A full translation of the first book, Persephone in Hades, to understand the journey from its inception.
The Intuitive Narrative: A unique correlation where I weave together fragments of the already written Persephone in Hades with the current creative process, creating a dialogue between the two works as they unfold.
Support the Journey: From Hades to the Surface
This post marks the beginning of a new phase, where the “armor of consciousness” meets the reality of the surface. By subscribing, you aren’t just reading a book; you are witnessing its birth in real-time.
Free Subscribers: Receive weekly poems, the unfolding of the English Section, and public reflections directly in your inbox.
Paid Subscribers: Support my work as an independent artist and gain exclusive access to the “behind the scenes” of the creative process. This includes original drafts of Ladies of Opposites, in-depth research notes on limerence and the autistic spectrum, and early access to translated archive materials.