Revenge
Winter came to spring, and
Eros made move to bring Pallas Athena
A good man, arranging a chance meeting
Outside MOMA in the rain.
But Arachne, spying this at a distance
And still fixed on vengeance,
Ticked off the doom of the courtship
On her eight spider legs:
*Encounter, persuasion, a fondness for Asian;
Six months to court, and *le petit mort;
Devotion, affection, and then the rejection.
The summer of love turned to absurd fall,
And cast off at last, Pallas Athena
Enjoyed the bitter taste
Of her own medicine:
Aconite, plus a pinch of spite.