and tell her what happened and take her down
to the West Garden, where his ghost would be waiting.
Her bare feet smacked the smooth marble
steps that enabled her nimble shadow
to streak unremarked commemorative murals.
A thinner Minos than the man she remembered
dandled a boy, who, indifferent
to the king’s pleasure, played with toy mouse.
Although Miletus allowed the king
to kiss him in strange locations, he’d rather
be smothered by his brother’s beard.
When Miletus admitted he loved Sarpedon,
jealousy mangled imagined joy.
Minos would try to murder his rival
and would get himself killed though incompetence
if Sarpedon didn’t depart at once.
But the way to Troy was a winter trial.