old school - poetry from a different day

helen could waste away

if you were oenone
I would never have left you,
and troy could have fallen,
and helen could waste away,
and my ships would rot
in the salt of angry seas,
and my men would conspire
against me,
but nothing would matter
except for you, oenone -
drink in my voice
every time I call your name
and say I love you.

© scn 11-7-97