Queen of Afterlife, caught between
such sweetness and such strife, I
startled into this, my second life.
Above us all the while was Demeter
freezing sap and womb and season.
When her ceaseless ragings threatened
even Phoebus, Zeus called both worlds
to reason. Hades must atone;
Demeter could not remain alone.

Again, for sacrifice, the Gods chose
me, Queen of Seeds, Loom of Shadows.
So I came to wander in both worlds,
one my mother's, one my lover's:
neither purely mine. Before slipping
again through that slender larkspur's
stem I made the Promise
of the Pomegranates. I chose
to take that blood seed from His
trembling lips. It folded like a secret
child beneath the curled rose
of my tongue. The King of Death
and I were pledged forever One.

From

Persephone, author B.A. St. Andrews

Please let me welcome everyone to Hell, a most fascinating place. You never know who you

might meet here.

Who is a real shade and who is not?

But be very careful. Many come to Hell but few ever leave.

Please join me for refreshments. I'm afraid that many of what you see here is an 'aquired'

taste.

*waving an elegant hand in the direction of the banquet*

To wash all of it down, we have a Terraconensian from Spain, a very dark blood red

wine.