A Poem: Notae Licet Obseda

Obsession Unkind

Mixed media sculpture/painting and photography by myself, Sarah Thoonen.

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Background.

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The origin of this story is unclear, but myths around a flying half woman, half owl called the Ibest originate from the early days following the great destruction and worked their way into many cultural pieces over the years, usually where there is a moral to be learned, or particularly important message.

This story is shared by many families with their young teens as a tale they should heed in understanding boundaries, respect and consent, as well as a reminder that no one owes us anything. The story also hints at everyone deserving the freedom to live their lives in their way, and not by the standards expected of them by others. It is usually told in a setting where it opens the family up to discussion around the different aspects, helping to give more context and relate it to current /relevant social norms. The end may be a bit of a gory way to share these pieces of advice, but parents always tend to clarify that the killing of others should only be in desperate defensive circumstances, so this is not used to promote slaughter of those you don't like.

Parts one to three are written from the perspective of a young man who believes he is a nice guy. However, on closer inspection, he was found to have been nice only under the assumption that he would be rewarded with the beautiful being. He felt a sense of entitlement to the companionship of the creature, ignoring their discomfort and rejections, to the point of obsession with possession. This took his senses, with him defending his status as a nice person, all while trying to capture and detain the woman to suit his desires.

Part four is written from the perspective of Ibest, or a young woman, feeling uncomfortable, having their boundaries ignored and being forced to fight back. Due to their beast nature, they were able to save themselves from a life of captivity or adhering to the expectations of this man.

The story may be written with a man and woman focus, however the roles can be swapped, or gender changed to suit each family and their children.

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Part One.

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Soaring through the starry sky,
moonlight glimmers on her bust.
I watch her from the town below,
my heart bursting full of lust.


Her beauty is beyond compare,
though she is part beast.
Some will call her succubi,
this worries me the least.


What I would give for this companion,
for even just one night.
For her to spend some time with me,
take a break from her high flight.

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Part Two.

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I leave her gifts and trinkets,
hoping to get in her good book.
Showing the nice person I think am,
she'll surely take a look.


Eventually she comes along,
finds the gifts and stops to speak.
I whisper sweet nothings in her ear,
then kiss her gently on the beak.


She backed away uncertain,
not used to such confident advance.
I beg her please, please,
give the nice guy a chance.


I invite her back to visit again,
the next night when she's near.
But I turn around a moment,
she's run away in fear.

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Part Three.

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She now haunts my waking dreams,
she's becoming an obsession.
I think and dream excessively,
won't she grant me this concession.


Stay with me always and forever,
be my one true love.
Settle into our new home,
give up the trips above.


I'll cage her, hold her, tie her down,
to keep her here with me.
Any alternative to this life,
I cannot fathom, cannot let be.


I share this with her as best I can,
I think I've communicated well.
She slams her wings around the room,
so mad she unleashes hell.


I duck away to grab some chains,
swinging, looping these around her legs.
In my mind I see her apologise,
for my forgiveness she will beg.


But things take a dark swift turn,
her beak and talons tearing.
As I bleed out on a woollen rug,
on my face an egg I'm wearing.*

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Part Four.

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He tried to seduce me with gifts and trinkets,
acting nice but coming on rough and way too strong.
When I told him it made me uncomfortable,
he insisted he did nothing wrong.


He claims he was just being kind,
that he would never cause me pain.
From there it escalated quickly,
attempting to capture me with chain.


I had to lash out at him in defence.
my beastlike form pushing him away.
The impact is what killed him,
I escape to fly another day.

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*a reference to the idiom indicating foolishness, being proved wrong etc.