Poet's biog

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Aphrodite explains the unfortunate affair with Ares

It was just flirting. It was very slight.

We met one evening in a clouded bar;

he was the sort of man I liked on sight –

we’d have some fun; we wouldn’t go too far.

We met one evening in a clouded bar;

he bought me wine and I bought him champagne.

We’d have some fun; we wouldn’t go too far

as I was married – I made that quite plain.

He bought me wine and I bought him champagne.

He was a soldier, home on leave, he said,

and I was married, I made that quite plain –

I wouldn’t let my heart control my head.

He was a soldier – home on leave, he said

(he was extremely tall and fit and strong);

I wouldn’t let my heart control my head,

although my heart glissandoed in a song.

He was extremely tall and fit and strong

(my husband’s strong – although he’s rather lame);

he made my heart glissando in a song;

I only meant to have a little game.

My husband’s strong – although he’s rather lame;

he works a forge, a man of soot and iron.

I only meant to have a little game;

I never meant to stir a sleeping lion.

He works a forge, a man of soot and iron,

but still he seemed to see my secret heart;

I never meant to stir a sleeping lion –

I thought I’d kept my different lives apart.

He seemed to see into my secret heart.

He found us one day – it had gone some way;

I thought I’d kept my different lives apart;

they touched, and it no longer seemed like play.

He found us one day – it had gone some way.

He caught us in a pixel-woven maze;

we touched – but it no longer seemed like play:

he filmed us – for his friends to see, he says.

He caught us in a pixel-woven maze –

it was just flirting; it was very slight.

He filmed us – for his friends to see, he says!

... and he had been a man I’d liked, on sight.

Lynn Roberts