To young men, heroism
is attractive and if they manage
to survive the monster
they will choose the honour
of the lie

and not admit how it is
but stick to the story
and boast of their courage
knowing that the monster
is a dusky labyrinth

that also frightened
their predecessors until they realised
that the bones are the remains
of starvation, because
the labyrinth beneath the palace

is empty, and the door is hidden
and locked beneath the throne
of the king, who rules
with the power of the story
of a ravenous monster

and whoever wishes to succeed
him must be clever enough
to escape and then
become complicit
in the deception