Pallas
She walks today in the human being
in each one she has a claim,
her spot of prominence, dominance,
creative wisdom and strength hers.
Her presence royal; territorial even.
Amazon warrior-virgin of the oracles,
parthogenically-sprung from her father’s head:
- animus ridden defaulter of women: career girl,
cut-throat competitor, admin geek,
forfeiting matriarchal status
to serve unfolding male supremacy.
The pathology of fight or flight her destiny.
Medusa’s snake-headed death-mask as her breast-plate.
In peacetime, she is androgynous patroness of arts and crafts:
of the olive tree, with holistic vision;
the flute, the spinning wheel and ox-yoke;
strategist, jurist and social activist,
with mastery of occult healing
as pastoral society evolves a civic face.
Guardian and proponent of the transition
to societal manliness,
from the hearth and mother
to their men:
hitherto henchmen, sperm-banks,
toy-boys and eunuchs.
Pallas’ own virile heritage
plots a route to accommodation
of both;
the beginnings of sexual democracy
- her own brilliance and integration.
Oct