SUITORS

During his long last weeks

The ghosts gathered round

The deathbed of Telemachus

Penelope didn’t come, nor Odysseus;

He was always a footnote 

To their celebrated story.

Laertes, his grandfather, shadowed in 

But thought him Telegonos, Circe's son.

Most frequently visited the suitors  

Coming by ones or twos or in large groups.

The last few hours saw them all 

Crowded into his narrow room,

Leaning in at the windows,

Perching dangerously on the rafters.

What wounded Telemchus most

Was that the suitors forgave him

“Eh,” said Alcarops, “ what

Did we expect? Boy grown up

Without a father? We did

Our best but our best, at best,

Was a band of rowdy brothers.”

“Me,” said Leodes, “I accuse 

This shame culture of ours

Conscience dwelled not in us

But in the eyes of other men

And those eyes told Telemachus he

Should help his father kill

The men who'd raised him."

"I blame the epithets," said Pseras

"Have you read the Odyssey?

Penelope is cautious, careful, circumspect, 

Discreet, wise and self-obsessed.

Odysseus is cunning, resourceful, patient,

A man of twists and turns, much-enduring,

The sacker of cities, the man of action,

The master mariner (though why

A captain who loses his ships and his men

Deserves this one is beyond me).

What is Telemachus? Poised. Just poised.

What chance had poise to withstand 

Cunning, resource, twists, turns, endurance,

Action, caution, sacking, wisdom 

Discretion, more wisdom, and self-obsession?

And poor us! Swaggering and haughty!"

They argued as they always did and when 

Telemachus died they made for him an escort

Into the mist and gloom, into the light.