Homer was no blind poet.
Fast as Hermes he saw
how bloodshed might blow it
in Book One of The Iliad.
Raging Achilles wouldn’t kneel
to vain Agamemnon.
Calling King Ag a heel,
Ach reached to hip for iron
to belt him on his crown.
Lucky for Ag and Homer both
the bard hurried Athena down
to force Achilles’ oath,
or heated debate could have turned gory,
making this epic a mere short story.
Roger Armbrust
