The Tuesday Poem: “The Minotaur to Theseus” by Catherine Fitchett

The Minotaur to Theseus
.

Never trust a woman.

You don’t need her magic

ball of thread. She wants it to entangle you,

not to guide you. Just keep your head,

and your left hand on the wall,

or your right, it doesn’t matter,

as long as you’re consistent.

Reverse hands, and you’ll find your way

back out. I don’t know why

I’m telling you this, since it will lead

to my death, most likely.

I’m not the monster they make me out

to be. No danger to anyone

bold enough to do anything

but cower in a trembling heap.

Just because I’m big and ugly, doesn’t mean

I wouldn’t be kind to old women

and small children, given half a chance.

The roaring? In another century

it will be motor bikes. I’m just another boy

trying to be a man, wearing a leather jacket

and trying to look tough.
.

Reproduced with permission.

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I first heard fellow Tuesday Poet, Catherine Fitchett, read The Minotaur to Theseus during an Canterbury Poets’ Collective Open Mic quite some years ago now. I remember loving it at the time — not just because I love Greek mythology but because of the voice Catherine has given the minotaur. When I asked Catherine for permission to feature it today, she said she thought it had been written in response to a writing prompt, in this case “leather.” At the time, she was also reading Czech poet Miroslav Holub’s Notes Of A Clay Pigeon (1977) in which a sequence of ten poems is dedicated to the minotaur — and the rest, as the saying goes, is history. I hope you enjoy The Minotaur to Theseus today as much as I do.

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About the Poet:

Catherine Fitchett has had a varied career as forensic scientist, stay at home mother, and currently works in accounts. She has been writing poetry for the last ten to twelve years. Her poetry has been published in Takahe, The Press, online at Blackmail Press and in various anthologies, including two collections from the small Christchurch group, the Poetry Chooks. In 2011 she was highly commended in the New Zealand Poetry Society competition and in 2012 was placed third in the inaugural Poems in the Waiting Room contest.