Hephaestus

Misformed son
of unforgiving parents

you asked little
received less.

After your parents cast you out from Olympus
and Athena spurned your love
you received a wife
Aphrodite,
sad side effect of your father’s hate.

Even then your constancy
fathered Eros
a god of love.
A god of faith.

But your own love was unrewarded
with a most unfaithful wife
and even this you took
without retribution
working at your forge
creating.  Building.

Of all the gods who filled Olympus
you were the most like man,

the most like me
imperfect
a worker
a lover
a survivor

And of all the Greek gods
whose stories have been told
it is easiest to believe
that YOU are the one still there
beneath Mt. Aetna, working in the flames
surviving
even now.

I hope so.


first appeared in Midnight Zoo v1#5 1991
intended as part of a future collection titled 'Letters to Olympus'