once he released her from her father’s grim
dominion. He went to Crete, but got distracted
by Silenos as usual. Their protracted
orgy with dryads granted Theseus
sufficient time to woo the treasonous
woman the god forgot. His sister went
straight to Dia and found Ariadne bent
over the waves, asperging salt on salt,
oblivious to the Delian’s assault.
The unheard arrow pierced her spine but stopped
half way through her neck. The princess dropped
into the surf, allowed her blood to unspool,
and soon forgot to call herself a fool.
While she was depleting her short life’s woe,
Daedalus rued the deeds that long ago
compelled his exile from the world’s best city
to Knossos, a shithole clogged with self-pity.