Io

Lustful eyes
gaze up on me
from the
powerful and mighty
Zeus.
Blatent intentions
with no disguise,
desiring to possess me
and make me his own.

Attempted resistance
fleeing from power.
Parental coercion
by royal influence.
Banned to the fields
lacking protection,
set out as
vulnerable prey
for a ravenous beast.

Jealous Hera
wife scorned
searches knowingly
for wandering husband.
Not even his
veil of white cloud
and my cover
as white man heifer
could fool the mind
of this cunning creature.
Demands made
and I am given over
as a gift
to the very woman
who despised me.

Beautiful heifer
sentence suffered
spending day and night
with hideous
100 eyed monster.
Made ill by the
mere sight of Argus.
Glimpses of Zeus
sneaking by and
he hears my
suplication and plea
to be set free.

Hermes appears in response
100 beady eyes lulled to sleep
yet still no reprieve.
Victim to Hera's
plans of jealousy
ordered to wander
the earth without rest.
Four legs spent with fatigue
madness setting in
from plague of gadflies.
Verging on defeat,
stumbling upon Prometheus.

Rebellious teacher of Man
brought them the gift of fire
and fed them the
good sacrificail meat.
Liver offering
sustenance to the likes
of a giant eagle
on a daily basis.

Through parched and cracked
tormented lips
prophecy delivered.
Hope whispered
from tortured soul.
"You will be whole again
as a beautiful woman"
Prophecy fulfilled.
Zeus restores my body
to beautiful state
he so lusted for
from the beginning.

Body given
as reward and
token of appreciation
finally.
Sacrificial sex
in thanksgiving
for restoration
of lovely human shell.
Two souls joined
to become one,
and he would be named
Epaphas.

Finally in my
rightful place
of royalty,
I sit next to
King Telegonus.
Constant reminder
of torment suffered
at the hands of Zeus.
I look into
the eyes of my son Epaphas,
and smile
giving thanks.
I am here
and no longer there.