by Ama Bolton

Hecuba Queen of Troy
queen of a city of ashes and rats
Hecuba the widow rounded up
with many another to become
a trophy wife for some crass thug
who had the luck or foresight
to be on the winning side
Hecuba gaunt with grief has little to lose.
Her hands are tied
her pride’s intact.

She spits curses at Odysseus
who’s keen to break down Troy’s last barricade
and leave his mark on her.

The glamour of a man with blood on his hands!
She nearly falls for it
stifles him with a desperate kiss
too hot too hasty
to unravel his complexity
war-maker little boy lost
statesman trickster
seductive psychopath.

©Ama Bolton