Beyond the Words

Legend of Helen

Helen with your hair of flaxen

and skin of creamy touch

Your eyes glow

like the sea in sunlight

And your smile warms the heart

of the sad, broken man.

Helen with your voice of heaven

and your lips as soft as rose

Sweet your scent is

like the breeze on a summer’s day

And your laughter of honey music—

the cure for a dying man.

Helen with your walk of grace

and lashes, long and dark

Your beauty bewitches any mortal man

and even gods and lords above

From Leda and swan

you were born

the most beautiful woman in the world.

Beauty, now your curse--

the cause of the war.

For it was you men wanted to win,

and it was you men attempted to defend

Your beloved Paris dead,

marked down by the hands

of your red-head husband.

He whose brother’s army

crushed the grand city of Priam.

And Troy now ashes

and Troy now your legend.