Seeing the prettiest girl in school kiss
the unlovely fat boy, if the au-pair
falls heavily for her employer’s grandfather
or our best and cleverest friend arrives
with somebody obnoxious, we remember
even the best-aimed missiles sometimes miss
their proper targets and alter the lives
of people who are not meant to be there
or happen simply to get in the way
of what essentially is friendly fire.
It’s unavoidable: no system’s perfect,
not even ours, which is regrettable.
Ladies and Gentlemen, while you inspect
the latest casualty figures, may
I urge you: bear in mind collateral
damage was always the price of desire.
Questions, please. No, Madam: our distress
for Menelaus isn’t ‘just a cover
for strategy’: the messages we sent
express the various Deities’ genuine sorrow
for him and for the consequent event –
alright: events. And, yes, it is a mess:
Madam, mess happens.
Tomorrow,
Ares on: “Routes to peace”. Thank you. Briefing over.