Be A Good Sport

by Brett Rutherford

     after Meleager, Greek Anthology V, 213

This thing of Love

that possesses me

has a boy's love

of ball games.

Watch, as I rip

the heart from my breast

and toss it your way.

Catch it, Heliodora,

be a good sport!

Play ball, I plead

with my little Love.

Toss not my heart

away where any old

passerby can find it

and seeing my name on it,

mock me for a fool.

Love's game has rules:

with one hand or both,

catch my throbbing heart.

Then, cupped in those

tender fingers, gently

return it to me, or throw

it to your sister there,

she almost, but not quite,

as fair. Play not the foul

of dropping it, ah, no!