! Prayer To Aphrodite On Valentine's Day Poem by JAMES ROBERTS

Prayer to and response from Aphrodite

To
Dapple-throned Aphrodite,

Dapple_ throned Aphrrodite
Eternal daughter of Zeus and Hera,
Snare-knitter! Don't, I beg you,
Cow my heart with grief! Come,
as you once did when you heard my far-
off cry and, listening, stepped
from your father's house to your
golden Chariot, to yoke the pair of
beautiful thick-feathered Golden winged doves
And roared down, perfuming the air, from Olympus
Carried by Dream you to light swiftly
on the dark earth; then, blissful one,
smiling your immortal smile
you asked, What ailes me now that
I call you again? What
What was it that my distracted
heart most wanted? ``Whom has
Persuasion to bring round now
`to your love? ” Who, James, is
unfair to you? Is it Lisa? For, let her
run, she will soon run after you;
If she won't accept gifts, she
will one day give them; and if
she won't love you - she soon will
love, very willingly
Come now! I will relieve Your intolerable pain!
What your heart wants most will
happen, The Gods will make it happen
you your- you your-self joined forces on our side!
Rejecting those three imposters
And so in Love Aphrodite Grants Your will”