Odysseus Washes Laundry

Odysseus Washes Laundry
© Surazeus
2018 04 30

Hiding with her friends, who giggle and blush,
behind the high-sided and strong-wheeled wagon,
Nausikaa watches the tall naked man
kneel in the honey-sweet grass of the meadow
where he gazes at their clothes on hot rocks.

Grinning to himself, Odysseus sings
as he begins to wash the dirty laundry,
beating garments with rocks and flower blossoms,
then dipping them into the clear black water
that flows swirling around his arms and legs.

After washing each load of clothes on rocks,
Odysseus rinses out the dirt in pools,
then spreads the garments on lines on the beach
where foaming waves sparkle in the sunlight,
and begins to eat food he finds in baskets.

Smiling at the hushed whispering of the girls,
Odysseus lies down and pretends to sleep,
and watches like a hawk through peeking eyes
the princess and her maids sneak over sand
to snatch the garments that dry in the sun.

Leaping to his feet, Odysseus roars,
and the maids shriek and run across the sand
to hide again behind the high-sided wagon,
but Nausikaa puts both hands on her hips
and glares at him as he laughs in the grass.

Plucking her basket of grapes and goat cheese,
Odysseus walks over to the large rock
where he perches like a lion in the sun,
and smiles when Nausikaa sits at his side,
and they eat while sun glitters on sea waves.