Achilles [2] Poem by Gert Strydom

To some more a god than man
the hero walks in
with greatness depicted
in every move and stride
and thunder reflected
in his determined eyes, but the upper commander
and king of Mycenae insults him,
grabs the maiden Briseis as his own
and the great Achilles
withdraws the Myrmidons
sulking in his tent.

The Trojans encouraged by his absence
advance with a loud clamouring noise
like cranes screaming from up high
before the storming in and bringing death
and destruction to the Greeks
forcing them back in retreat.

Storming into the tent of Achilles
his companion Patroclus
tells Achilles about the Trojans
burning their ships
with flaming arrows
and begs him to use his armour
and to give consent for him
to lead the Myrmidons into battle
to come to the rescue.

Fighting like Achilles
Patroclus and the Myrmidons
are victorious and force
the Trojans back
into their city,
but the Trojan commander
Hector kills Patroclus
in the moment of his glory.

Achilles is filled with grief
and joins the battle
taking the Myrmidons
with determination
and ferocity
edged into every man
move shoulder to shoulder
to the depths of the fight.

Achilles fights in a raging frenzy
pursuing Hector three times
around the walls of Troy
and like a thrashing thunder bolt
kills him
tying Hector with anger
to his war chariot
dragging him around
the walls of Troy
and then to the funeral pyre
of his friend Patroclus
withholding funeral rites from Hector.

The anger of the fierce Achilles abates
and the Trojan king Priam
finds him and begs
Achilles to release his son's corpse
and the great Achilles
has pity on the enemy king.