Girdle Of Hippolyta

Girdle Of Hippolyta
© Surazeus
2025 01 02

Vaulting over chain-link fence of mute fear 
to escape boys chasing him home from school, 
Bryan darts in shadows of Raven Wood 
till they shout lost in illusions of hope, 
then saunters home on narrow river road 
as sunlight flickers in fluttering oak leaves. 

Sitting before large television set, 
with hot dog, root beer, and bag of corn chips, 
Bryan watches movies of ancient times 
that show Achilles fighting against Troy, 
Odysseus attempting to sail back home, 
and Argonauts finding the Golden Fleece. 

Wearing tiger-skin loincloth and headband, 
Bryan swings baseball bat to fight cruel beasts 
as Hercules when he slays the Nemean lion, 
destroys the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, 
and cleans the Augean stables of its muck 
by rerouting the Alpheus river flow. 

Entranced with tension of dramatic scenes, 
Bryan feels himself join the Argonauts 
when Hercules invades Amazon Island 
to steal magic girdle of Hippolyta, 
but brave women fight against cruel invaders 
who kidnap independent girls as brides. 

Turning off the Orb of World History, 
sickened by how Hercules and Argonauts 
forced free women to become their house slaves, 
Bryan stares out front window of his house. 
"As three thousand years have passed since that time, 
I hope we treat women better today." 

Noticing Mary, who lives down the street, 
riding by on her bicycle back home, 
Bryan smiles, pleased to see her having fun, 
but gasps when he sees large man stop his truck 
and grab her around the waist as she fights, 
then tries to bind her arms and legs with rope. 

Running swiftly down the deserted street, 
Bryan charges straight at the large strong man 
and whacks his knee hard with the baseball bat, 
but stumbles and rolls over on his back. 
When Mary slips free, the limping man curses,  
then jumps in his truck and races away. 

Embracing as they tremble from the shock, 
Mary and Bryan hug tightly and cry, 
then walk together to her empty house 
where they eat chocolate cake and cold milk, 
till, after they kiss on living room couch, 
he walks home in gray cricket-chirping dusk.