(The Aeneid: Dido Queen of Carthage)

by Samantha Hill

Description: (I dont remember exactly what I said in my original submission, but it was something along the lines of:) This poem is a modernized, paraphrased rewrite of a small piece of Virgil's Aeneid inspired by Bob Perelman's Oedipus Rex.

The Aeneid: Dido Queen of Carthage

If Aeneas calls, tell him he forgot some things.

I've left them in a pile atop the pyre (with perhaps my body and) a post-it note,

"Goodbye, asshole. Didn't mean to distract you from your journey. D."

Tell him I'm glad he found it fitting to set sail in the night like a frightened deer

sticking me with the bill for his last lavish meal.

(Well then, I shall make it my last meal, as well.)

For ten years he fondled me in the dark quiet cave

sharing my queenliness

creating his kingliness from the city I built and welcomed him

Into my life and my cave and my city he came

and left at a pop-up reminder:

"Doing your duty? Don't let them down: Found a New Troy!"

A calling, he called it.

AENEAS: This city is yours. I need my space-my own new city. Room to breathe.

We'll call it a break. And we'll see where it goes.

DIDO: And this break you are referring to-will this break be exclusive or is this break a break-up. I don't do open relationships and-

you walk out this door it's over!

AEN: Darling, darling, don't make this difficult. We were never exclusive, in the sense of the word. It is only like it always was-I was always on my way to other things, besides. Don't get me wrong, I love our Carthage and that gold frock you wear in Spring, your eyes so lovely against the jade jeweled brooch...

DID: Our Carthage? My Carthage! I sheltered you from a storm and you remained of your own volition in matrimony, unless you want to get new-age technical about the informality of sex-

We ruled together, yes, for ten long years, if by ruling together you mean you dressed Valentino drinking Pol Roger Cuvee with foie gras and venison steak cranberry compote and warm volcano chocolate torte reclining in the chariot

while I devised laws, negotiated treaties and spoke to the citizens

giving aid to the elderly and healing the sick.

Yes, we ruled if you want to say that, but don't pull the sentimental crap

as you float off to sea with your army of men and your beer chants

clinking your glass and rooting for the home-team like it's all that ever mattered.

AEN: It didn't have to be like this, dear. And now it does. I thought that you would understand, and I never made a promise-in all ten years, I never said-

well anyway, they need me. So goodbye, my love, goodbye.

The idiot forgot his sword.

Now that is something that can take my body to another world...