Had You Been Born in Greece

Had you been born in Greece

and not Switzerland,

you could have been called Helen.

Your name could have meant Torch,

entwining you with Venus,

and love would have flowed from you

like your golden hair,

shedding passion and light

on entire empires.

Had you not been abducted

by the murky hands of marriage

been handcuffed to the Zeusian myth--

had you not sailed away on the sea,

(you see,

had you chosen not to leave)

we could have danced on water,

we could have launched ships

we could have swayed hips.