Parable of the Vine
Is it Aesop’s fable about fox and grapes
or an obscure parable from another sage-
the fox, red and handsome,
the grapes, rich and purple,
and the vine?
Maybe the vines the story-
the twisted shape rising to the highest point,
looking out over ridge to ridge
reaching into the world.
Maybe the fabled fox is clever
and the grapes tempting
and the vine always moving to make its way.
A fable of twists and turns,
a fox in the henhouse,
the wine and sour grapes.
And the vine.
See it comes back to the vine.
The parable is distorted,
we are drunk and outfoxed,
left twisting
and turning
on the vine.
*** written and posted several years ago – but thought it was a good match for the dVerse prompt today.
thecourseofourseasons 
Wonderful play with that vine twisting and turning-the grapes changing with every twist:-)True,such fables have changed traversing many generations,localities,countries and even continents and thus surprising us when we come across a fable thought to be of one origin,springing from another.
i like how you change focus here…touch the different spots and bring us back to the vine again and again… cool symbolism in this kathleen
Thanks, Claudia – I was happy to have something to share – K
Clever! I like the way this poem twists and turns. Jane
I was inspired by the native grapevines that grow on the edge of the woods – and the fables of Aesop are always wonderful to play around with too – thanks K
it is interesting how you took all the different references to each and wove them together giving them touch points…in everything there is light and shadow…the opportunity for each…fine wine or sour grapes…they both come from the same place….and we can choose to twist or abide in the vine….
thanks, Brian – was happy to have a poem to share – K
Ending with the vine (I prefer rich & purple rather than sour) …. I also specially like this part: The parable is distorted,
we are drunk and outfoxed
Thanks for reminding me about this fable ~
Thanks, Grace – appreciate your kind words K
Definitely a good match. Heard on the grape vine no doubt 🙂
Liked that it is about fables rather than the fable itself. Twisting and turning like my wisteria.
That made me laugh! Happy that you liked it Hanna – K
I love this Kathleen.. good to know the fables had been inspiration for others before… and the sour grapes is indeed a fable with many bottoms.. as a sideline for some reason (grapes were not common in Sweden).. the idiom is “sour said the fox about the rowan berries” which does make sense… but takes the edge of the fable somewhat.
Thanks, Bjorn – I was happy to have something to share – that is funny about the fox and rowan berries – so interesting how these stories change with the telling – the poems written to your wonderful prompt show their many faces – K
Oh, I like your take on this. And yes, it does seem to all depend on the vine! I can really picture that twisting and turning.
Thanks so much, Mary – glad you liked it! K
Glad you resurrected this for the challenge, it’s perfect. A postmodern read (how else can we?), resolving in the scariest of inevitable endings, that inspiration fools the magician as much as the crowd. (The wine-revels of Dionysos usually ended in a tragedy — dismemberment, derangement, crucifixion, et cetera.) Loved it.
Thank you, Brendan, for your kind words – appreciate you dropping by – K