Clytemnestra Descending

from the car
Laophonte
Mother
damned swan
each evident
in the stretch of tarsals
feathering forward
like summer over
wheat and stable rakings
her greeting
a fig leaf drip
unconcerned with
plash or tink.

The electric dust of her arrival
ionizing sisterly intent
two well-hung mules
waiting her command
her smug preening
plain as dog turd
on her heel.

My greeting parried
with a wave –
“Dear Helen,”
(nothing dear intended)
“I hope your cisterns
are quite full. My animals
need scrubbing.”