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Proserpina is a story about the passage of Spring and the seasons. It was also the last song composed by Kate McGarrigle, Wainwright's mother. One has to wonder if the Roman goddess Cera (or Hera...in Greek mythology) plaintively calling for the return of her daughter Proserpina (or Persephone in Greek myths) doesn't create a sort of mind-blowing coincidence between the fact that as McGarrigle was dying of cancer, her daughter, Martha, was in England about to bear a child. Of course, knowing the background story of the myth helps to understand this sad, haunting and beautiful song.
The myth is that Pluto, Roman god of the underworld, was enraptured by Proserpina, the daughter of Cera, the goddess of agriculture and crops. He abducted Proserpina who then became the Queen of the Underworld.
Ceres, consumed in grief and anger, cast a curse on the earth and scorched it preventing grain from growing and producing fruit. Thus was Winter created. Jupiter (Proserpina's father) arranged for her release but that didn't work out because she had eaten a pomegranate (known as the "fruit of the dead") thus forcing her to stay in the underworld.
A compromise was reached: Proserpina could go "home to momma" for part of each year. Legend has it that when she visited her mother, Ceres poured out the blessings of Spring to welcome her daughter. Then, when she returned to the underworld, Winter returned to the eartth.
Proserprina represents both the youthful, innocent and joyous maiden aspect of a woman as well as the more womanly self who, innocence lost and famiiy attachments loosened, can begin to consciously decide for herself. Note that eventually, Proserpina chose to be where she was.
A multitude of references exists about roman and greek mythology and this one is no exception. Suffice it to say that the preceding description barely skims the surface but that it does give the viewer a sense of what the song is about.
"Proserpina" appears in Martha Wainwright's album, "Come home to momma" (2012).
LYRICS:
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to mother, come home to momma now
I shall punish the Earth, I shall turn down the heat
I shall take away every morsel to eat
I shall turn every field into stone
Where I walk crying alone
Crying for
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma now
Proserpina, Proserpina, go home to your mother, go home to Hera
Proserpina, Proserpina, go home to your mother, go home to Hera now
She has punished the Earth, she has turned down the heat
She has taken away every morsel to eat
Where she walks cry-crying alone
Crying for
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma now
She has turned every field into stone
Where she walks cry-crying alone
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma
Proserpina, Proserpina, come home to momma, come home to momma now