Reaching for Odessa III

A Work in Progress
69

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Donal stood guard his back to the boat

watching the approaches to the sandy beach

only to find on hearing noise in the rigging

sails unfurling as the craft made way

leaving the cove blown by a whipped-up wind

he’d been abandoned standing in moonlight

alone on the beach in sudden silence

wake waves slapping the sandy shore

Donal gazed at the moon in the azure water 

thinking an omen his shadow slanted

meeting a full moon’s reflection in the cove

backlit by the moon he saw his dead brother

come into the light his mother his father

his grandfather too whom Donal never knew

dressed in the uniform he wore in that war

against another generation’s minotaur

he saw they were smiling as if in a photo

he hoped they looked proud of him

he thought they did for they faded away

a cloud was passing the moon was shaded

he turned to find those footprints explained

barefoot clad in a peplos her hair falling free

Aphrodite? coming down the path to confront him

to ask him what once was unanswered

why did you come?  what brings you here?

dumbfounded he knew he’d bare his soul 

to this white clad goddess

an owlet on her wrist 

a raven on her shoulder

a spirit mother of the muses?  

Mnemosyne?

she spoke a language he thought was Greek

but her meaning was clear and her questioning deep

as the moon set over the enchanted hill

Dick Russell © Richard M Russell

                        2025