of her river’s cave. Her long green tresses
were loose again as they always were
when she was tending to the souls
in her waters. She saw me approach
and rose, her dress’ hem wet
and her eyes full of questions.
‘I must find Kore.’
I told her quickly of Zeus,
the Boons and his conditions
on Kore’s return to her mother.
She listened carefully and nodded.
‘I will come with you.’
I was about to protest
but a single glare from her silenced me.
Charon appeared upon his ferry.
I could already see Styx’s acidic waters
damaging his small boat.
But he smiled, his eyes reassuring,
and gestured open-handed
for us to jump in.
We did as he asked
and he moved us with the speed
he would move Gods,
not the mortal souls he was used to.
Quickly the rapids were gone
and we were standing at
the banks of the Forest of Silence.
Back in the Forest of Silence
It was so quiet here
that the sound of her sobs
