Poems/ 35

Old Man Prays to Hera

Why do I stand here

In this stinking ruin of a temple?

Why does an old man like me call out to you?

I am still in love with my old woman,

But she neglects me,

Preferring her bottle of wine

To my bed.

Even in her old age,

Late at night,

When the children are asleep,

My wife seeks the blessings of Dionysus.

In my living room,

She guzzles wine,

Then crawls on the carpet,

Groggily seeking his blessing.

Meanwhile, upstairs,

I sleep alone.

Old, neglected one,

Only you can help me.

You are the goddess of ridiculous,

Persistent love.

Wake up, ancient one;

Relieve my woman of her bad dreams;

Free her of unseemly cravings.

Send into her head

One memory from our early days,

That night --

She will know which one --

When our bed became the center post of heaven,

And all the stars wheeled around us.