Before the Dying

Troy waited
to be sacked
but it lacked
fate, was ill-fated
despite the gods
among the defenders
who intended
to feed the dogs
with the invaders’ bodies,
those sharpening spears,
swapping stories,
checking gear
proclaiming the gods’ glories
and calming their fears.

Samuel W. James' poems can also be found in Allegro, The Eyewear Review, The Literary Hatchet, London Grip, Clockwise Cat, Peeking Cat, Sentinel Quarterly, Scarlet Leaf Review, Door is a Jar, The Beautiful Space, Elsewhere Journal and Ink, Sweat and Tears. Read other articles by Samuel W..