The Story of Pygmalion and Galatea 

was told by Orpheus in Ovid’s Metamorphoses;

translated by many and recreated by DaVid in 2006. 

 

A Shattered Dream

 

Pygmalion saw many women living such wicked lives, 

he was revolted by the many faults which humanity had implanted in the female flesh,

and long lived a bachelor existence since, with out any wife to share his home and rest.

 

Devoted to his marvelous artistry, he wrote lyrics of poem and song.

Created images of his lovely bride in thought,

he made her lovelier than any woman born and he fell in love.

He created song that prayed for him her soulful eyes to see.

He looked to see if such woman might exist.

 

 

The Creation

 

His instruments sounded his soul,

his hands carved her ivory body in stone.

He made her pure with a body to dance and hands to play the violin.

Pygmalion gazed in wonder, his heart wept of solitude. 

 

Every day his hands would feel the softness of her skin,

the cold reminded him she was stone.

He made music for her to dance.

He made clothes for her to ware.

He spent all his wealth in trying to make her talk.

 

He kissed the cold stone,

imagined that it kissed him back,

recited poetry to it and embraced it, 

as night fell in his unconsciousness, he felt his fingers sink into her limbs,

drunk with love he would hallucinate her dancing and making song.

 

 

Love in Solitude

 

Awakened by the calls and knocks of bill collectors,

his heart would weaken as his cry would give way to a new prayer for comfort and work.

 

The streets seemed empty,

and so was his pocket, but he would find the gifts that nature had,

and brought the kind of presents that a girl enjoys;

Things that he could polish and paint as jewels for her to have.

 

Awakened again by the calls and knocks,

he borrowed from her the jewels he made,

so as to pay his debts for another day.

 

Promenade of Success

 

Here his muse began to feed his mouth,

not just with food from her jewels,

but also companionship as he never had.

 

Every friend came by to admire her,

and fetch him a handshake and a caring offer.

"Keep up the Good Work" they said and they left.

"Yes I will" he said, as he imagined Galatea in her wedding dress.

 

At night he made a dress,

with pearls, silk and gold from everything he had sold.

He slipped a ring on her finger and proclaimed her as his wife.

 

Wedding Night

 

As night endured the new moon,

Pygmalion looked around and saw an empty room.

No instruments to play, no where to sit,

just his head resting at her feet.

 

He prayed and cried, he had nothing left

than her cold stone to kiss.

He fell asleep with great content that he finally had wed.

 

"Don't cry" she said, "I am here now"

"My veins have blood just as you now.

My lips can move to kiss your lips,

My hips can move to dance with you,

My hand can feel the music you made,

Feel my breasts and touch my limbs,

here I am my love, be mine"

 

Galatea, how did my instruments come back?

who brought the fruit to enjoy?

-silent sparkled his growing smile... 

Did God....?

 

"Yes my love" she said.

"No man a creature can make,

only God can transform the flesh:

God has now given us eternity to share."

 

"Yes, I can see into your Eyes my love" - he said.

"The Stars await our wedding night,

the mantle of heaven will be our bed,

there is no more day and night,

I can see your eyes, I can see your eyes my love..."

 

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Dedicated to Tirza, my Galatea.

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DaVid Pineda-Huezo 

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