ACHILLES
It was never rage
When we first see him,
We see the the harp.
A heart trained by music–
There is no rage he cannot master.
The Greeks never beat foes with their spears alone.
It’s psyop,
He can’t be hurt by a weapon–
Then why the shield?
It’s the architects and the catapults,
Slowly tearing you down
It is the smoke of men’s praise.
When given a choice by Thetis
Of a long life of love and meaning
Or a famous death,
He chose death.
The dead Patroclus in his arms,
At last, the loss of love.
The unborn lives
he has abandoned
laid upon his head
It was Odysseus who finally beats Troy.
by David William Brubeck, with thanks to S and especially R
c. 2025 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved