In His Prime

Priam, back when in his prime
quite a formidable ruler
Troy's great walls, too hard to climb
in antiquity, few cooler
but like many dads who dote
thought his sons above all censure
Helen, what an anecdote
love -- a wonderful adventure

when Greek ships arrived at dawn
he at first refused believing
ten years later, with them gone
still in mourning and still grieving
he fell for a wooden horse
now a sucker for the ages
had he sent her back, of course
better treatment from the sages

they might call him harsh, but shrewd
make him less a tragic figure
when it comes to Hollywood
they would cast him younger, bigger
but would Schliemann come to dig
if Troy had a happy ending?
Likely so. It was his gig.
And the walls, they bear defending.