Troy – poems 2 die for

CROSSBOW

I interrogated Aphrodite
after the fall of Troy

so much death and devastation
through her direct interference
all for a single
golden apple, and the required
abduction of a queen

holding her in
the sights of my
crossbow whilst
I bombarded her
with questions

on the nature of love,
her sacred domain, and
why
it should exist at all
when it destroys
so many of us

or leaves us
alone and yearning
victims of its disdain.

tough love
cruel to be kind

but let mention she
who needed to win
most of all

see her favourite’s name
up in the city of lights
Achilles slain
the towers fallen

she who was raped
less than harmoniously returned

and who, being man,
being man born of woman
would be so
out of his right mind
to vote
against her
spurn that offer

she flirting with the idea
of full divine disclosure
revelation

of that so in utter excess
of mere mortal beauty
mere legendary
beauty of
a Spartan Queen

straining against the bit
holding back unless
her hero
lose his sight
die sublime

kind to
be cruel
cruel to be kind

TROY STORY

am
a reporter on the scene
at the siege
of Troy

rushing for a scoop, meet
my deadline

ask ancient poet
Homer what he saw

in such
vivid

inner colours