Monday, November 28, 2022

Too Much of a Good Thing

by Brett Rutherford

     adapted from Meleager, The Greek Anthology, v. 57

Persistent as a seagull, a cormorant,
as arrogant as a pigeon in the square,
Eros descends on me, earth-bound,
hemmed into one city whose walls
I seldom leave out of sight: target

almost as predictable as a statue —
show me some mercy. Hot arrows
descend weekly, daily — in summer,
I swear, hourly — demanding I pursue
this one and that one, never-ending.

Is it my destiny to fall in love
with everything two-legged?
Before my loins give out, my soul
will part ways with me. Cruel boy,
making the fool of me, a soul, too,
has wings, and what if she leaves?

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