Goddesses of the Played

By Emily Vitosh

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Raped. 

Insane. 

Chased. 

Betrayed. 

They were the survivors turned 

Monsters.

Mad.

Symbols.

Murderers. 

I

She was a fair young maiden, 

With hope and love in her chest. 

Then assaulted, beaten, almost broken, 

By the one claiming love.

In a place meant to be safe, 

Protection an expected grace, 

Cursed she became. 

Blamed for a man’s sins and lack of control

Fated to a life of cold, unwavering stone.

Innocent locks turned to venomous vipers.

They called Medusa a monster,

But she is a survivor. 

II

She was a kind and caring young girl.

A dedicated, promising priestess

Cursed with knowledge beyond her control. 

Destined to spew warnings to unwilling ears

By the very god she lived to serve. 

Deemed a madwoman, discarded

And locked away by her own father. 

But still she warned and shared what she could, 

Knowing they’d deny their downfall. 

The Sack of Troy came, she tried to run away, 

But still, she was brutalized when seeking safety

In the arms of her so-called protectors. 

They called Cassandra insane, 

But she is a survivor.

III

She was beautiful and graceful, 

A paragon of perfection, 

Adored too dearly by the Sun, 

A young and cocky god, refusing to give up.

She grew tired of the pursuit, 

Her last resort growing near. 

So, through her tears that blessed the Earth

She begged the ancient Gaia for escape,

Anything to get away from a restless man

Who doesn’t understand the word no. 

Her salvation came in the shape of a laurel tree. 

But even then, his pursuit remained. 

He claimed despair and took her new form as his. 

He claimed her as soon as she was gone, 

A man’s entitlement knowing no borders. 

They called Daphne his symbol, 

But she is a survivor. 

IV

She was a talented sorceress, 

The powerful princess of Colchis.  

With magic in her hands, 

And an ache in her heart. 

One day, a man came with promises of forever.

She spent her magic on him, 

Believed in his sweet nothings. 

Soon she was wed and happy as can be. 

But hearts tend to be broken by infidelity. 

He left her for someone else, 

Claiming love’s expiration date.

After all she’d done for him, she was left betrayed.

She took his sons to break his heart back.

Committing an unforgivable act,

But people will forgive Jason so quickly.

She only wanted love

And nothing more. 

They called Medea a murderer, 

But she is a survivor.

Truth tends to get lost in the he said/she said, 

Doesn’t it?