I did not choose for it to happen
I did not have a choice
But the gods
They do not care.
And so my hair is naught but snakes.
I came to this cave-
I had to eventually-
My only choice was when.
Still, I chose the time of my own volition-
the people do not care.
They blame me.
They say it was my choice to be struck
And drowned
And violated
In the temple I lived in.
They say i deserved the poison,
And they call me a monster.
The snakes may bite me,
But I choose who else they attack.
It is not my fault it happened.
The curse is not my fault.
The people, constantly attacking me and being killed for it-
It is their fault.
And it is the gods’ fault too.
The gods-
They do not care.
They send a boy to attack me,instead of doing it themselves.
Perhaps they feel guilty.
They do not care.
I cannot choose to die-
But I can choose when.
And so i open my eyes-
Foolish.
Used as an object, even in death.
inspired by https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/150926/medusa-with-the-head-of-perseus