Many months
alone

with her own

Venom

in a Sarpedon cave
made to nestle her

Beauty gone;
Head - 
a writhing tangle of
Vicious Serpents;
cursed;
unrecognisable 

Did she retreat because Shame

became

her only bedfellow?

Perhaps ‘twas more a respite
to protect
the unsuspect
ing
from her projections

lest they be turned to stone

so easily does Shame become Blame

And Venom can Poison or Healing be

The Power is in the Choice