Honey in the Vein

Think of her like a female John the Baptist or Siddhartha Gautama. Mary of Egypt was a mystic who sought liberation in the wilderness, away from society. Though revered as one of the Desert Mothers by the early Church, few people today know her story. The traditional version holds that she was a reformed-prostitute-turned-saint, but Honey in the Vein (Bric-a-Brac Press, 2023) presents a twist on the original, filling holes in the tale with daring possibilities. Told in spare, elegant verse, the story sparkles fresh on the page. This Mary is no penitent; she's clever, raw, and wry, challenging lovers to "pay her light bill," while never losing touch with the smells, textures, and tastes of fourth-century Egypt and the major touchstones of the classic story. Retranslated for our times, this Mary is saint turned flesh-and-blood woman.

Award-winning poet E. D. Watson recounts the tale with a feminist slant, following Mary from a difficult childhood to life as a runaway in Alexandria, surviving by her wits until she's taken in and trained in the "oldest profession" by a world-renowned concubine. Capitalizing on her beauty and her natural zest for life, Mary thrives as a sex worker. Even so, she's haunted by a deep longing which eventually drives her into the wilderness. Rather than another morality tale, Watson's retelling is imaginative and compassionate, presenting Mary of Egypt as a woman who refused to be caged, and whose message is relevant today, even to those unfamiliar with her story.