Kristen Lindquist

Compensation

The Greek myths referred to rape casually, almost heroically: “The Rape of Europa,” “The Rape of Persephone.” The woman or nymph was supposed to be honored that a god—usually Zeus—couldn’t resist her beauty, that he would risk the wrath of his goddess wife to force himself on her. He could get creative about it, but being turned into a cow to be mounted by a bull, or worse yet, being sexually assaulted by a swan or a cold cascade of gold coins, didn’t make it any less of a crime. If she were lucky, her demigod son—because there was always a child—would become a hero for the ages. See: Perseus, Heracles. Or she would be set in the sky as a constellation, like Callista, now the Great Bear.

her face worn away
under thousands of thumbs
ancient coin

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About the Author

Kristen Lindquist is a poet, writer, and naturalist in Camden, Maine. She has published two collections of poetry and maintains a daily haiku blog at kristenlindquist.com/blog.