The wind, the water
inhaled
exhaled
tossed
pushed
heaved
you and your men
into my domain.

Poseidon could not test you
as the Sun’s daughter could;
You were to be tested, tempted,
tempered in Fire.

You left the beach and
entered the forest,
crashing and crushing
the precious plants
the tiny nymphs
my friends
my paradise
my oasis
and sought
to make them your own.

In greed and despair
you found my sanctum.
I awaited you all on my throne
in violet, gold and flames.

From behind my veil
I offered you rest,
barley
wine
honey
cheese
nymphs
seasoned and prepared
With the most delicate
of spices.

I watched with flinted eyes
as they fell upon the bounty
inhaling
exhuming
taking
pulling
hauling
all of the food
into their bellies.

When they were done
they demanded more.
I would offer no more.
They insisted.
I relented,
bringing out dark sea-wine
flavored with salt and herbs.

This, too, they consumed with abandon
and, sated, trotted out into the night.

Boars you were,
So boars you became
Snorting for trifles on the beach.

[Ryan E. Holman (she/her) has previously had work appearing in Enchanted Conversation; BSFAN; Split This Rock‘s blog in their Call for Poems of Resistance, Power, & Resilience; and the Silver Spring/Takoma Park Voice, among others. She lives in the mid-Atlantic U.S. and enjoys writing about mundane and fantastic life through the lens of the elements.]