MICHAEL DENNIS MOONEY -- new writings

Plutarch described Alexander the Great
Having melting blue eyes, light skin, blond hair,
A natural sweet scent that perfumed his robes, etc.
Typical homoerotic nonsense of antiquity!

Okay, the kid looked good, and he bathed.
Looking godly astride Bucephalus,
Clean in white plumes, silver breastplate,
He forded the Granicus under rains of javelins,

Clambered up steep muddy banks,
And stormed the fortifications near Troy.
He was a prime target! An Asian chieftan
Knocked him silly with a battle axe,

Cleaving plume from helmet.
Black Cleitus saved him, spearing his attacker.
And the Macedonians sent those Persian boys
Running home crying to their mamas.

After the battle, as the Greeks lay 'round,
Having their way with slave women, with one another,
They raised many a purple-mouthed smile
To Dionysius, god of vinous sateity.

Some of those who narrowly survived the slaughter,
After many a quart of unwatered wine,
Did not survive the debauch.

The conversations, though, had been good.