If I were Athena,
I would never give the shield to Perseus
and let him tear Medusa.
I would never carry her head like a trophy.
I wouldn’t let fellow women be trampled
just to flaunt my strength
for men to admire.
No, I wouldn’t even cast wrath,
and let others clean up my mess—
Aegis should have never existed.
If I were Athena,
I wouldn’t let them call me
the goddess of wisdom
until I sat beside Medusa,
listened to her story,
told her none of it was her fault—
not for simply being—
and asked whether she wanted
to chain Poseidon to the ocean floor,
til he became as powerless as mortals,
and fought beside her
for justice.
Athena was my heroine—
until she became the monster
the day I learned Medusa’s name.
All my life, I’ve met Athenas
in women who’ve climbed the ladder,
won applause
for strength built on silence,
and silencing…
…that I keep watching my reflection
in the mirror,
searching for Athena in me—
and if I find her,
I’ll look into my eyes
until I turn to stone.
Yogyakarta – May 17, 2025
Paracosmic 
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