1164, My Weariness of Epic Proportions - Charles Simic

I like it when

Achilles

Gets killed

And even his buddy Patroclus-

And that hothead Hector-

And the whole Greek and Trojan

Jeunesse dorée

Are more or less

Expertly slaughtered

So there’s finally

Peace and quiet

(The gods having momentarily)

Shut up)

One can hear

A bird sing

And a daughter ask her mother

Whether she can go to the well

And of course she can

By that lovely little path

That winds through

The olive orchard