Hades was the Ancient Greek God of The Underworld and this is his “love story”. Hades was visiting Earth one day when, he saw Zeus’ daughter, Persephone who was picking flowers in a meadow. Hades fell in love with her at first sight and decided to kidnap her and take her with him to the underworld. Demeter, mother of Persephone and the Ancient Goddess of Harvest, was enraged and she, in her anger, made the Earth infertile which caused famine all over the Earth. Humans were distressed and prayed to Zeus to help them, who went to the Underworld to bring back Persephone but, by the time Zeus went to bring her back, she had fallen in love with Hades. Zeus demanded that Persephone return with him which made Hades ask Persephone to prove her love by eating pomegranate seeds. Persephone did not know that once you eat in the Underworld, you can’t leave. Zeus had to split the year into two parts and for six months, Persephone lived with Hades in the Underworld as his queen and for the other six months, she stayed with her mother on Earth. Over time, we learn that Hades was a kind ruler and a loving husband. The kidnapping of Persephone inspired the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini who made a marble structure of Hades taking away Persephone, called “The Rape of Proserpina.”

Was it passion or was it prejudice?
Was it desire or was it detestation?
Was she pulling him close or not?
Was he imposing himself on her?
Was he? Was she? Was it? What is?
So many questions, and answers lost.
Desire, is not understood by most.
He was in love, but was she too?
She was scared, but what she know?
The others were never fair or true.
Their love was lost, it had no value.
She did not want a fate like them.
The thought of it made her numb.
He was darkness, she was light,
Their match was nowhere in sight.
She was a beauty, he was a disaster,
He never wanted to be her master.
She was happiness, he was sorrow,
Hearts were pierced by Cupid’s arrow.
He was the ruler of death, she was life,
She never knew she could be his wife.
He was her destruction, deceiver he was,
She was his salvation, his life’s cause.
He played unfair, but only to win her,
She wasn’t happy, her faith wavered.
He did strive, every day, to love her,
She always asked, why it had to be her.
He had no answer, his ways were false,
So, she was taken, and he paid for his faults.
Six months here, six months there,
Time was divided, he had to bear.
She loved him, she was his Queen,
Their love was so pure, easily seen.
She was happy, she didn’t want to escape,
But then why was his desire called rape?

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