Liber Veneris - Chapter 31

Verses

Verse 41

Do not sing to me of Venus. I have seen what beautiful things demand from those who believe them.

Verse 42

The bright planet rises clean because distance launders everything.

Verse 43

Bring it near and the hymn becomes pressure, acid, heat, stone.

Verse 44

That is my accusation: beauty has excellent public relations.

Verse 45

The rose recruits by color and defends itself with thorns. At least the rose is honest enough to display both.

Verse 46

Men built temples to desire and were surprised when desire asked for sacrifice.

Verse 47

Women were made into goddesses and punished whenever they behaved like people.

Verse 48

Poets called jealousy proof of love because poets are rarely charged for the damages.

Verse 49

If Venus rules harmony, let her explain every song played over an argument.

Verse 50

If Venus rules marriage, let her read the court records.

Verse 51

If Venus rules pleasure, let her visit the addict at dawn.

Verse 52

No, I do not hate pleasure. I hate invoices arriving under sacred seals.

Verse 53

The priests say, Desire teaches you. So does fire. I still do not sleep in it.

Verse 54

Inanna descends and returns. Excellent for Inanna. Most of us descend and meet rent.

Verse 55

Lucifer falls beautifully because painters control the lighting.

Verse 56

Zohra plays the lute while somewhere a man mistakes a melody for permission.

Verse 57

Shukra knows resurrection. Ask him whether he can resurrect wasted years.

Verse 58

The astrologer told me Venus was afflicted. I told him so was my bank account, and the planets had not contributed.

Verse 59

A cat loved me correctly once: it came when it wished, left when it wished, and never promised eternity.

Verse 60

I trusted the cat more than every sonnet.

Verse 61

There should be a commandment: Thou shalt not confuse intensity with truth.

Verse 62

Another: Thou shalt not call suffering profound merely because the sufferer is attractive.

Verse 63

Another: Thou shalt not build destiny from hormones and favorable lighting.

Verse 64

The heavens remain silent on these amendments.

Verse 65

Morning Star, you are only reflected sunlight. I find this comforting.

Verse 66

Imagine the scandal if every idol admitted where its brightness came from.

Verse 67

I too am reflected things: my parents, books, accidents, hungers, dead conversations.

Verse 68

So perhaps my contempt is borrowed as well.

Verse 69

I wanted to condemn beauty and discovered I was angry at wanting it.

Verse 70

This is humiliating, which is at least a form of accuracy.

Verse 71

O Venus, I withdraw half my indictment.

Verse 72

The other half remains until you explain why longing survives fulfillment.

Verse 73

Do not send a priest.

Verse 74

Send the cat.