Adapted Metamorphosis

Apollo fell in love with Daphne.
He courted her, pursued her, despite all her protestations.
Finally, she fled from his unfortuitous fancy,
and he chased (as he always did).

Panicked that this postponement would be her last,
she plead to Diana to protect her.
She cried every name
of every divinity of every territory
she could think of
as she galloped aghast.

Before Diana, great giver
of kindness she, could transform her
into a tree, instead to intercede was Loki,
great trickster he. Instead of the laurel Diana
thought of stood Thor, in drag
as the Norsemen’s Beauty goddess Freya,
from his false marriage to Jotun’s
King Thrymr. Daphne ended
in the arms of Loki, who winked at her, and both
watched Apollo stammer, confused about his now hairy,
muscular, fire-haired Daphne.

Watched Thor, nerves needled
from one marriage feast’s mead, mistake
the Greek god for a woman. Watched
Apollo caught between two strong thighs,
both discovering the extras unexpected.
Watched two gods wrestle,
gender-bent and abandoned to a trickster’s
prank and a victorious victim’s vengeance.

-Lylium Walsh