Angele Toomey Poetry

I realised this morning, as I was getting to the bottom of my first cup of coffee, that it has been over a week since my last post. I guess that’s the shadow side of August’s Poetry Boot Camp, I haven’t done a lot of writing in the first part of this month!

I am not going to claim that the poem below is a new piece – it’s from the back catalogue, written about 4 years ago.

The poem references Cassandra of Troy, this site has a very helpful summary of the mythologies surrounding this particular tragic Greek character: https://fictionphile.com/cassandra-of-troy/

Cassandra and her legacy
I thought that you would know her- 

The tale of defeat 

Despite clear truth. 

Cassandra, a footnote amongst great events 

The one who knew but could not convince: 

She was able to see 

But destined to be 

Confined, cloistered 

Warnings not trusted. 


Protected and then cheated by Apollo,
How desperately shallow and hollow 

To take her in 

And then abandon. 

There lies her lesson… 

Trust not the gods, nor men 

For they set the rules that govern.  

Wait not for the trusted friend 

Or the rescue an enemy may send. 


Stand your ground true 

Leave if you need to. 

Everything is tilted in their favour 

Find a way to resist - be your own saviour.