“In your temple, Goddess, I sought refuge / yearning only for peace in my prayers”
Excerpt from poem “Medusa”, in the contemporary poetry collection Coffee Stains On My Books, Stefania Lucchetti, 2024)
Buy the modern poetry collection Coffee Stains On My Books to read the whole poem.
Image: Shield with Medusa’s Head, Caravaggio,1598 ca., Galleria Uffizi Firenze
We are all aware that November 25th marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, established by the United Nations. I’m not one to dedicate too many words where many have already been spoken. However, as I reflected on which text to propose in this newsletter, I thought of this.
Medusa is a poem from my collection that gives voice to the eponymous mythological figure, recounting her story of pain, injustice, and resilience. Medusa was not born a monster: she was a woman, a priestess, a victim of a cruel and unjust fate. Medusa suffers violence three times. The first from Poseidon, who invades Athena’s temple, violating her body and peace. The second from Athena herself, the goddess who should have protected her but instead punishes her by turning her into a monster. The third from society, embodied in the hero Perseus, who condemns her without remembering her story, seeing her only as a creature to fear and destroy.
You did not shield me, mighty goddess,
-Excerpt from the poem “Medusa”, in the contemporary poetry collection Coffee Stains on My Books, Stefania Lucchetti)
instead, you transformed me into a fearsome creature.”
The reason for my choice stems from a reflection that often occupies my thoughts and seems appropriate for this week’s theme. It’s not always evident when speaking of violence against women that victims, while sometimes supported in the immediate aftermath (not always, though one hopes this is increasingly the case in today’s more aware era), are often forgotten over time. When trauma leaves deep marks, in the medium and long term, society and time tend to forget, and frequently, the victims themselves become targets of judgment or exclusion.
The violence endured leaves traces in traumas and expressions of emotional and physical pain. Over time, these traces become “monstrosities” in the eyes of others. The challenges faced by a survivor—difficulty engaging with the world, prolonged depression, struggles to work or connect easily—often render them invisible or unacceptable to a society that thrives on sensationalism but prefers to look away when confronted with someone who has suffered an injustice and is fighting to manage its concrete consequences. Even more tragically, these consequences sometimes involve their children (a complex issue beyond the scope of this space).
“I longed for silence, far from humanity’s gaze,
to endure my sorrow in silent despair,
to bear the weight of my monstrous form,
without facing scorn and mortal alarm.”-Excerpt from the poem “Medusa”, in the contemporary poetry collection Coffee Stains on My Books, Stefania Lucchetti)
The poem reflects on the profound injustice suffered by Medusa: not only a victim of violence but also punished for something beyond her control. Her transformation into a monster becomes a symbol of the stigmatization of victims, the indelible mark that society often imposes on those who have already suffered. The cave where Medusa takes refuge is not merely a physical place but a space of isolation, symbolizing the silence imposed on so many victims, left alone to live with their pain.
Yet even this isolation is not respected. Perseus arrives as the representative of a society that no longer sees the humanity behind the “monster” but only a trophy to claim. It is a powerful and tragic image: a woman persecuted by fate, punished for sins she did not commit, and ultimately killed by someone seeking to prove their worth at the expense of her pain.
Medusa is an invitation to look beyond appearances, to recognize invisible pain, and to challenge superficial judgments. It urges us to listen to a story, to help someone emerge from their cave.
Purchase
Coffee Stains on My Books is available on Amazon
The Italian version Macchie di caffè sui miei libri, is available on Amazon and all bookstores in Italy
