Faith Betrayed
Faith Betrayed, by Eloise Beltz-Decker

A retelling of the myth of Io and Zeus

A sweet mortal, her father's garden tending,
Caught the eye on high of Zeus Immortal.
He appeared to her, and promised love unending,
And joy beyond the ken of any on this Earth.

Lustful Zeus wreathed his features in a glow
Of divine beauty: none could thus resist him.
Thus poor, deceived Io                       [pronounced dee-CEE-ved eye-OH]
Went with him, accepting his advances.

Yet Hera, wife of Zeus, appeared at a time
When still they were in joy entwined.
The philandering King of Gods, caught in crime,
Wished to hide his fault from her righteous wrath.

Wove he a spell, fraught with power,
'Round the maiden's lithe and graceful form.
No longer girl, but snow-white heifer,
She, bewildered, watches fond illusion shatter.

He, suave, assures his mate of his undying faith,
Denying loudly any thought of his to cheat.
Suspicious Hera can find no cause, no wraith
Of support for her, and doubting goes away.

Bovine Io lows, her liquid eyes entreating
Her divine lord to give back her mortal semblance.
But lo! He is already retreating,
Forsaking her to chase another unfortunate.

The stricken heifer shakes her dainty horns,
Bemoaning youth's stupidity with greiving cries.
Her mind, you see, doe not echo her form:
A human mind had she in her animal body.

She weeps tears of shame for falling to the god's base spell,
Tears formed of sheer humiliation cries she.
And see we now, where each bitter tear fell,
A violet springing, flower pure as driven snow.