The Greek Gods Laugh And Throw Lightning Bolts Poem by R.A. Burleigh

Do you understand why
The ancient people had so many gods
For air, water, love, warfare, fire, afterlife, storms
For home, hearth, travel, conception, weather

Do you understand why the gods mated
with human women to create magnificent children
Who would then dominate
The less than marvelous rough made humans

I am standing in front of the Pacific
The wind howls, the whitecaps jump almost into my lap
I call Poseidon and almost expect a white haired giant to leap forth
I am so happy to feel this wind, so happy when lightning crackles

I stumble back calling Zeus, calling Minerva, calling Pallas Athena
I can't stop laughing as the first rain hits
The earth is so full of beauty, danger, color, variety
Excitement, prestige, hope, pain, magic

It dumbfounded us, even in our best moments
How could one god put all this together
It's a good question
Requiring a United theory of atoms, destiny, limits, sunlight

How can our emotional-bound sense take it all in
Those damned clever Greeks, those story tellers, those ribbons of delight
Hey come on over here by the fire
Let's keep thinking about it, let's expand our brains, let's rejoice

Ray Burleigh