Penelopes
 are no longer in fashion.
 Envying Odysseus fame
 young girls and women
 took to the road
 creating
 their own returns.
 And if
 out of sloth
 they chose to stay
 in Ithaca
 they shut the looms
 and fast picked
 one of the suitors,
 whoever was at hand.

 These you well know.
 Why do you then at night
 unravell carefully
 all the self confidence
 you wove during the day?
 You must have not yet realised
 that there are no
 Odysseis around either.

 ***************

 This is a translation/transcription of a poem originally
 written in modern greek, some years ago.