HE SWEARS TO THE GODS ABOVE THAT HE WILL BE STRONG AND THAT HE WILL BE BRAVE. HE SWEARS IT UPON HIS FAMILY'S NAME AND UPON HIS BABY BROTHER BECAUSE WHAT BETTER WAY WAS THERE TO FORCE HIMSELF TO KEEP A PROMISE, HE THOUGHT. HE THREW AN ABSTRACT THOUGHT OF HIS SURNAME AND THE BODY OF THE CHILD ONTO THE HEARTH TO BURN.
BUT WHEN THE TIME CAME TO SLAY THE MONSTER HE FAILED TO STAB ITS SCALY SKIN FOR WHAT HE SAW WASN'T A TREACHEROUS THING BUT A BABY DRAGON. MAYBE HIS FAMILY'S NAME AND HIS BABY BROTHER WEREN'T ENOUGH SACRIFICES FOR THE GODS WHO DRANK SWEET, GOLDEN AMBROSIA FOR DINNER AND HAD TABLES OF FOOD STRETCHING AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE FOR EVERY MEAL. SO HE SACRIFICES MORE. HE SACRIFICES HIMSELF, A YOUNG MAN WITH A READY BODY AND DETERMINATION FOR VICTORY.
HE KNOWS IN HIS HEART THAT HE WILL SUCCEED THIS TIME, BECAUSE HIS VERY OWN LIFE IS ON THE LINE AND HE ALWAYS SAVES HIMSELF, IT'S WHAT MEN DO. WHEN HE STOMPS INTO THE CAVE AGAIN ON A RAINING TWILIGHT, THE MONSTER IS LONG GONE, THE CARCASSES OF HIS DINNER LEFT SCATTERED ACROSS THE STONE FLOOR. HE, THE YOUNG HERO, WEEPS FOR HE KNOWS IT IS THE END.
HE WAS NAIVE AND HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOME - PERHAPS MOST PROMISES WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN. IT IS THE WAY THE WORLD IS NOW. THE GODS LAUGH FROM ABOVE, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING RAINING DOWN TO THE MORTAL WORLD AS THEY ENJOY GOBLETS OF WINE AT HIS DEMISE. THEY SUMMON HIM, AND BECAUSE HE BROKE HIS SWEAR, THEY SEND HIM TO HELL WITH NOT A SINGLE GUILTY CONSCIENCE AMONG THEM FOR THE GODS ARE GODS AND THE NEXT DAY THEY WILL DINE AGAIN.
- GODS ARE GODS [ALTERNATIVELY NAMED: A TRAGEDY PLAYING ON THE TV SCREEN - 7.1.16]
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PoetryLIKE THEM; the cunning, the strong, the rational, the sensual, the rash. POE19 [151016]
