The Death of Ægeus

(or The Tragedy of Theseus)

He sat and watched the rising sun
Come from the ocean blue,
When a sailing ship's silhouette
Caught his eyeing view.
Excited with anticipation,
The dark prowed ship drew nigh;
He hoped the gods had grace upon
His sorrowing soul, or let him die.
He prayed goodtidings Rosey-fingered
Dawn that arc'd the morning skies,
Would bring to him and be his meed:
"If my son still lives, a white sail flies!"

In the bowels of the dark prowed ship,
Sick from love sat alone his son;
The white sail in the hollow hull,
Left he in grief, forgot, unflung.

As the father watched his heart beat faster,
The black sail whipped through lusty wind:
"This token sign tells me disaster,
For my son will not come home again!"

As the ship to port his sad eyes followed,
Thought he bereft of his dear son;
From off the cliff, the wine sea swallowed,
As he lept it's height and fell head long.

Sorrow upon sorrow, for portentous fate
Had snatched the two he loved away:
The first forgot and left asleep,
The other dead for a token's display.

Daniel Thomas Roe©1996