<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><p class="MsoNormal">Medea</p><p class="MsoNormal"> <i class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt;" class="">For T. E.</span></i></p><div class=""> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div class=""> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal">I had always been Rhea in Colchis </p><p class="MsoNormal">but, at 14, I first spoke my own name</p><p class="MsoNormal">in Circe’s shadow. A sunlit breeze </p><p class="MsoNormal">lifted the red curtains in our candled rooms</p><p class="MsoNormal">where the loom ran, healer and deceiver.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Later, ambling along the barren coast</p><p class="MsoNormal">I was a weave of sun and blackness.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Far in the west, the gold flash of a prow. </p><div class=""> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal">And when the oarsmen first saw the far shore</p><p class="MsoNormal">they rose and cheered. A new fury seized them</p><p class="MsoNormal">with courage and the ship of heroes leaped</p><p class="MsoNormal">swiftly through the waves to a drum’s blows.</p><p class="MsoNormal">In the first glow of the goddess’ fires</p><p class="MsoNormal">my eyes were lost in sullen wonder,</p><p class="MsoNormal">my breath came shallow as a grave in sand</p><p class="MsoNormal">and the great vessel entered our small port.</p><div class=""> <br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><i class="">In worlds destroyed</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i class="">what still shines?</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i class="">Under shattered patterns </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i class="">run ancient lines.</i></p></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""><i class=""></i></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Kevin Pryne</div></div></div></body></html>