An analysis of poetic imagery

I saw a breakdown the other day of references, metaphors, similes and allusions in my poetry (some people have too much idle time on their hands) and found that, by a narrow margin, my most common mythological allusion is a unicorn, closely followed by a dragon.

Norse mythology trumps both Greek gods and Judeo-Christian iconography and references, although the latter by only a hair. Egyptian mythology? Wayyyyyyyyyyy back in 4th. Most common single figure? Bragi, the Norse God of Poetry and Eloquence...his runner up was Hercules (or Heracles)...although part of that is due to my use of the ancient world's name for the Straits of Gibraltar, the Pillars of Hercules, to signify the end of the known world or a final departure.

Most common place name in theology or mythology referenced in my works is, by a single vote, Gethsemane. Then Eden, then Golgotha. Read "from out of the city" to get all three at once.

Event? Ragnarok. Wagner would be so proud.

Flowers? Metaphorically, a rose is a genital symbol, the penetrating rose in most cases referring to the penis. Rose petals refer to a woman's genitals. Jasmine refers to the smell and taste of a woman.

The most commonly referred to part of human anatomy is heart (big surprise, here?) followed by hands and eyes.

Legs edge breasts. Ideally there should be an equal number, for balance and symmetry. (Snarfle)

Cats (including radiant tigers, leopards and panthers) crush all other animal metaphors and similes. Crush. Crush. Did I say crush? Birds of one form or another come in a distant second (what shall the cats eat, then? Poets.)

A low carb diet is not possible in my works. Cakes, pies and cookies abound. Usually cookies or cakes. Flesh is not unheard of, but not usually in the dining room sense.

If you find non-English words in a poem of mine: French, more often than not. Latin, then Italian.

Oh, and number of times a "four letter word" has made it into my catalog? Once. The poem is entitled "Words to a Well Meaning Friend Full of Shit". It was written to Larry Jaffe when he tried to warn me of the foolhardiness of believing that the relationship with the Panther was possible after the second (or was it third? fifth?) breakup. I shortened the title later, but it still survives some places in its original form.

Most common poetic conceit? My use of the French "couer rage" instead of "courage" to signify "the fire of the heart".

So, there you have it...great material for your next homework assignment, doctoral thesis or bird cage liner.