that woman, she was born ugly

[daniellamichalleni]

Hi Daniella, I just wanted to drop a note to say that your poem "Persephone Speaks" is absolutely beautiful. It is probably my favorite poem ever, and as an aspiring creative writer I hope to someday write as beautifully as you.

Thank you so much! 

[daniellamichalleni]

Just wanted to say you are incredibly talented!

Thank you <3

[daniellamichalleni]

that phrase "who could ever learn to love a beast..." is yours, isn't it? i wanted to know if there's a title to it or not

It is! It’s from a kind of short story I wrote some time ago. Here’s the full thing if you’d like to read it: http://daniellamichalleni.tumblr.com/post/104260516672/the-life-bringer-by-daniella-michalleni :) 

[daniellamichalleni]

Dear Daniella, I absolutely love your poem “Persephone Speaks” to the point where I used it for my undergraduate English course for a unit dedicated to Hades and Persephone. My students clearly enjoyed reading it as much as me. Thank you! 🖤

Oh god, that’s so amazing? Thank you for this <3

[daniellamichalleni]

I just stumbled onto "Persephone Speaks," and wanted to tell you how astoundingly beautiful I found it to be. It's been on repeat in my brain since I first read it, and I have shared it with quite a few people. It's my favorite thing right now. Absolutely unforgettable.

This was such a lovely message to log in to. Thank you so much! x

[daniellamichalleni]

I officially love the poem, “Persephone Speaks”. This to me really symbolizes Persephone, y’know?? Not what the patriarchy would have you believe. But yeah, amazing work!!

Thank you!

[daniellamichalleni]

I'm a huge HadesxPersephone fan and while looking at some fan art I found your beautiful work! I can't wait to see your work in stores and I know it will be one day. Go on and keep bringing your beautiful words to the world!

Thank you so much for this message! I've seen many edits as well and they're so beautiful, I  can't. And, I hope you're right! I'm definitely working hard on writing stuff worth reading. <3

[daniellamichalleni]

Hey, Daniella - I love your poetry! I'm currently writing my own Hades and Persephone novel and I was wondering whether it would be alright to use excerpts of 'Persephone Speaks' for epigraphs at the start of chapters? With credit, of course :-)

Hello! Oh god, totally! I personally love epigraphs and I’m really flattered you’d want to use my work for that. Go for it! (and message me when it’s out because I would love to read it :)

[daniellamichalleni]

Can I use your "Persephone Speaks" poem for a moodboard?

Of course! 

[daniellamichalleni]

are your works for sale anywhere?

Unfortunately no, not yet! I have two poems published in Word Dance's Literary Sexts 2 (along with many other brilliant poets), but I haven't yet published anything on my own. 

I am in the process of writing my debut novel however, so hopefully that changes soon. :) Thanks for the interest!

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

That woman, she was born ugly. From her first day, her mother fed her greed, and she cried for more. She’s been licking spoons clean of her own hatred for as long as gods can sing, she’s been turning hearts to stone ever since men can lie. Monster of a woman, beauty of a beast; she’ll dive in blood and rise in gold, she’ll cut throats open and drink fear neat— word has it, Death doesn’t want a kiss. Don’t be fooled at her crystal eyes, her hair in waves; she is a nightmare, ready for your life to take.

Daniella Michalleni

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

i woke up choking on flowers. i suppose it was only right, since i’d dreamt of you in a garden. in it, you did not run from me but towards. in it, my skin did not rot in sunlight and i was not forced to hide it under the earth. my tongue, let the gods know, it didn’t burn when we kissed. and they knew we kissed like the world was crumbling at our feet, and they scowled at the blasphemy between our teeth. You said, “Let them look,” You said, “Let their eyes roll out of their sockets if it displeases them so.” “Let their bodies fall limp above our heads.” And they did, and it followed on screams, and soon we were swimming in an ocean of divine You lifted a God’s heart and took a bite. but there is no water where the living can’t reach, and i sank deep without your hand to hold. i woke up alone, my throat full of thorns. red water leaked through the holes and i tried to catch it but i couldn’t hold her in.

"trees grow from the love we bury", from my many unfinished pieces. | Daniella Michalleni 

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

in ragged breath I claimed your skull, your boney fingers. and oh— life had never been fuller than when death belonged to me.

Daniella Michalleni, THE REAPER AND I 

[daniellamichalleni]

But she couldn’t look at him. Not when she was pouring her heart out, tossing it, blood and all, onto the table and saying: here, have it. Do what you will.

Daniella Michalleni

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

You wanna know the truth, she didn’t want redemption because she didn’t think she deserved it. For years, she fought her demons, and for years, they won. The small battles, the dirty deeds. She’d cheated. She’d killed. She was no clean white saint. She was savage in red, and the blood wasn’t hers. But at the end of the war, when she’d finally reached the gates of Heaven and they offered her forgiveness, she said no. No, I don’t want it. No, I can’t take it. She wanted her past to mean something more than just scarred flesh. What I need is Hell, she’d told them, and to pay for my sins.

"Pay With Your Soul" I, Daniella Michalleni 

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

Our love was like a double-edged sword. However much I harmed you, you hurt me, too. And I’ve known, from the scratch of your first kiss, it would be my favorite way to bleed.

Daniella Michalleni, “Sharp” 

[ladystigmata-deactivated2017032]

I asked him for it. For the blood, for the rust, for the sin. I didn’t want the pearls other girls talked about, or the fine marble of palaces, or even the roses in the mouth of servants. I wanted pomegranates— I wanted darkness, I wanted him. So I grabbed my king and ran away to a land of death, where I reigned and people whispered that I’d been dragged. I’ll tell you I’ve changed. I’ll tell you, the red on my lips isn’t wine. I hope you’ve heard of horns, but that isn’t half of it. Out of an entire kingdom he kneels only to me, calls me Queen, calls me Mercy. Mama, Mama, I hope you get this. Know the bed is warm and our hearts are cold, know never have I been better than when I am here. Do not send flowers, we’ll throw them in the river. ‘Flowers are for the dead’, ‘least that’s what the mortals say. I’ll come back when he bores me, but Mama, not today.

Daniella Michalleni, “Persephone Speaks”