Before the Fall

Before the fall

of the city of Troy

- brought about by a ploy -

warnings had been given

but were not heeded.

“Beware of the Greeks

who pretend to bear gifts”,

Cassandra had wailed,

but she was laughed at

and given short shrift.

She’d scorned Apollo,

who’d promised her the skill

to be a prophetess.

He had wished to seduce her

but had not succeeded.

So he took his revenge

and placed a curse

on the hapless girl:

that her prognostications

would not be believed.

Taking his vengeance

and denying her clairvoyance

for failing to score

had caused a cock-up

yet it did not prick his conscience.

© Luigi Pagano 2016