HELEN
by Hayley Rickaby
Many a man had died that day
For a woman who had deceived them all
Helen of Tory the savage beauty Queen
Leaving a sea of blood in her wake
As many a man laid slaughtered on the battlefields
Many a sacrifice to the gods were made
Of sheep, goats and lams
Though nothing could stop the
Death that was all done in Helen’s name
So drink your wine
And sharpen your spear
Hope that Hades may be merciful
To all the Men who lost their lives
To a lady that is so fair and fine
PAINTING: “Helen of Troy” by Dante Gabriel Rosetti (1863)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hayley Rickaby will attend her fourth year in the Bachelor of Arts Creative Writing program at Vancouver Island University. She also plans to earn her Human Services Certificate in the School and Community Support Worker program. Her short fiction piece “A Walk in the Park,” along with a book review of Stuart MacLean’s Revenge of the Vinyl Cafe was published in the 2014 edition of VIU’s literary magazine Portal. In 2014, she was also Fundraising and Events Coordinator for Portal magazine.
Silver Birch Press 