A nymph, immortal and most beautiful
without love, alone in her sea hollowed caves
who craves Odysseus for her own.
The nymph with pretty braids, Kalypso,
seated her guest Hermês in a bright chair all shimmering
"O Hermês, ever with your golden wand, what brings you to my island?"
He told her truths she didn't want to hear,
truths from the gods, from their jealous lips!
but there's no eluding Zeus's will,
If this is to be ordained by him, so be it.
Now her ladyship, having given heed to Zeus's mandate
went to find Odysseus, tears brimming in his eyes that gazed seaward.
Now she stood near him in her beauty,
saying what he dreamed of her saying:
finally, she was giving him his freedom
She had but one last question:
"Son of Laërtês, versatile Odysseus,
that bride for whom you pine each day.
Can I be less desirable than she is?
Less interesting? Less beautiful?
Can mortals compare with goddesses in grace and form?
His answer
Satisfied her on a level,
But never quenched her thirst for his love.
A drying sort of emptiness filled her never aging body
She had everything he could possibly want!
Why would he ever contemplate leaving her?
Leaving her forever young, compliant body?
True, his never ending love for his Bride
was the seeming of the love she craved
from all that came to her lonely Isle,
but left without so much as a soft promise of a goodbye
When sweet, rosy fingered dawn appeared,
She watched her love depart, leaving her, never to return.
What truly killed her was that he never looked back
not once.