to the contents page.)
Salome on a golden salver bears
the head of John the Baptist
to the young Greek sophist
who's indifferent to love.
The youth replies: "Salome, it's your head
I wanted brought to me".
He means it as a joke.
But next day comes a messenger, a slave of hers,
who carries in the Lover's head with flaxen locks
upon a golden salver.
But the sophist in his studies
has forgotten yesterday's desire.
He sees the dripping blood and feels disgust.
He orders that this bloody thing
be taken from his sight, and goes on
reading Plato's dialogues.
( to the contents page.)