Morning Star

[milo]

Morning Star

Jove grows restless now
and wanders through the garden
taking peace in all that he has made

as beetles dig beneath the ground
to find his face
in every outstretched eye of every tuber

and all along the path the leaves of figs
and dragon-fruit call out his name
in whispers caught by elephant ears

but what was it that Michael said 
when asked by Jove, Tell me a tale
and Michael told a tale of Gods:

A tale of Nymphs, frolicking at play,
and Titans - mighty in their strength,
of climbing Gods and falling Gods

and how they glowed in triumph
of how they reveled in the fray
and in the end of how they failed.

Jove was captured with delight
so he declared, I will be one of those
and you will disobey and quake with fear

and Michael sheepishly agreed
to call him God but after all
the elbow cannot disobey the ear

so Jove forgave and placed him
back upon the shelf
and hid his form behind the morning star

leaving him to wander by himself.
And somehow Jove has come upon the clay -
and here is man demanding to be made.

[billy]

not a lot to say by jove, loved it

[bena]

What is this magic? This is the work of the Gods. Or the result of licking the toads. Either way, it works.

It's stunning and to even attempt a line by line on something this good is too daunting for me. And I have tackled Gods before.

love ya,
mel.

[milo]

What is this magic?  This is the work of the Gods.  Or the result of licking the toads.  Either way, it works.  

It's stunning and to even attempt a line by line on something this good is too daunting for me.  And I have tackled Gods before.

love ya,
mel.

why thank you Mel, that is strong praise indeed. Were you around for Adam and Apollo?

[milo]

not a lot to say by jove, loved it

thanks, billster

[cjchaffin]

fascinating. the mix of Roman mythology (Jove) and Judeo-Christian/Islamic mythology (Michael, the "morning star") works really well here....cultural syncretism at its poetic best, if you will.

really enjoyed this, milo.

[bena]

why thank you Mel, that is strong praise indeed. Were you around for Adam and Apollo?

I'm not sure...I know who Adam and Apollo are---referring to a God, and the Bible...
I was around for the latter Apollo missions...in fact, we could see the rockets from my back yard going up because we lived close to the Cape Canaveral.  When I google Adam and Apollo together, I get a man named Adam Apollo who teaches Jedi techniques on the internet...that is a hoot.
so yeah, not sure, snickers.

PS should this not be in serious instead of fun?

[milo]

why thank you Mel, that is strong praise indeed. Were you around for Adam and Apollo?

I'm not sure...I know who Adam and Apollo are---referring to a God, and the Bible...
I was around for the latter Apollo missions...in fact, we could see the rockets from my back yard going up because we lived close to the Cape Canaveral.  When I google Adam and Apollo together, I get a man named Adam Apollo who teaches Jedi techniques on the internet...that is a hoot.
so yeah, not sure, snickers.

PS should this not be in serious instead of fun?

It was a different poem I posted here a while back - wasn't sure if you were a member yet.  It exists in the same mythos. It seems if you liked this one you might like the other as well.

[milo]

fascinating. the mix of Roman mythology (Jove) and Judeo-Christian/Islamic mythology (Michael, the "morning star") works really well here....cultural syncretism at its poetic best, if you will.

really enjoyed this, milo.

thanks, cj, I am glad you enjoyed it.  

[bena]

It was a different poem I posted here a while back - wasn't sure if you were a member yet.  It exists in the same mythos. It seems if you liked this one you might like the other as well.

OOH! No, I must not have been here yet.  I'll certainly look for it!

But hey when the rockets take off....they do look like a shooting star in reverse, so for me personally, the term 'morning star' was really perfect.  They shine so brightly silver that it hurts to look at (it's the morning sun shining off the metal exterior)

benamel.

[milo]

It was a different poem I posted here a while back - wasn't sure if you were a member yet.  It exists in the same mythos. It seems if you liked this one you might like the other as well.

OOH! No, I must not have been here yet.  I'll certainly look for it!

But hey when the rockets take off....they do look like a shooting star in reverse, so for me personally, the term 'morning star' was really perfect.  They shine so brightly silver that it hurts to look at (it's the morning sun shining off the metal exterior)

benamel.

Morning star also happens to be the original name of lucifer.

[Leanne]

The good guy and the bad guy shift, depending on who's telling the story. Michael could have toned his storytelling down a bit and not given the big guy such grand ideas, but sooner or later the gardener outgrows his garden.

I like the fact that Michael is told that he will disobey and quake with fear -- every hero needs a nemesis to be brought low, and if one is not immediately to hand, one must be fabricated from whatever's convenient. Michael led the armies against Lucifer and won a great victory, but he was too much competition for the capital-G (because he was "like God", after all), so his story was quieted and the enemy's rang out. Do good work, but not too good, because that's a threat to absolute power -- even if you don't want it.

I believe I'm raving a little bit now. I'm ok with that.

[milo]

The good guy and the bad guy shift, depending on who's telling the story.  Michael could have toned his storytelling down a bit and not given the big guy such grand ideas, but sooner or later the gardener outgrows his garden.  

I like the fact that Michael is told that he will disobey and quake with fear -- every hero needs a nemesis to be brought low, and if one is not immediately to hand, one must be fabricated from whatever's convenient.  Michael led the armies against Lucifer and won a great victory, but he was too much competition for the capital-G (because he was "like God", after all), so his story was quieted and the enemy's rang out.  Do good work, but not too good, because that's a threat to absolute power -- even if you don't want it.

I believe I'm raving a little bit now.  I'm ok with that.

Yes to this and more even, yes to the parts you didn't bother to say. If it gets anyone to rave a bit, even better. Without free will there really is only 1 and without others you cannot actually be a god but with free will - oh the troubles!

[Leanne]

"I think I'd like to become President of the Universe, and you can be my Vice President."
"Sure, that's fine, I'm not super happy about being in the spotlight all the time anyway. I can just work away behind the scenes and if anything happens to you, I'll step in then."
"What do you mean, if anything happens to me? What are you plotting? I'm the brains and you're the muscle, remember?"
"Sure, big guy, I didn't mean anything. I just don't want the universe to go to pieces if you get diarrhoea or something."
"Did you do something to my rutabagas? Lucifer, come and taste this for me!"
"It's fine, sir, you mustn't be so paranoid. Michael is only trying to help."
"Oh. Of course. I know you'd never lie to me, Lucy. You're my best pal."
"Harrumph. About that..."
"Oh, fuck off Michael, you're not getting my job. Go play with your sword -- we won't need it anyway. I'm in control, so there'll be eternal peace..."

[milo]

"How is your little ant farm doing, sir?"
"Hrm, just great, Lucy, Adam and Eve are at it like bunnies."
"I still really don't see the point of it, sir, you already had us."
"Yes, but you cannot disobey so I could never be a god."
"And they have disobeyed you sir?"
"Well, no, but they could if they wanted to."
"Oh. And what have you told them to do?"
"Well, for one, I told them to go at it like bunnies."
"But wouldn't they do that anyway?"
"Yes, I suppose so. How am I supposed to get them to disobey me so I can be god?"
"You just have to tell them not to do something and wait for them to do it anyway."
"Now you're just being silly Lucifer."

[Leanne]

"I saw you in the garden talking to those humans, Lucifer."
"Don't be silly, Gabriel. You saw a serpent cuddling up to a woman."
"The serpent was talking and it sounded just like you."
"Oh right, a talking snake. You should go and see if Raphael's got a pill for those delusions of yours."
"I'm going to have to tell Jove that you've been mucking about with his pets."
"Think about it, Gabe. If I've done anything, it must have been because Jove wanted me to, because we can't disobey him. Ever. Everything we do is for him."
"He told them not to go near that tree. They're going near that tree, Lucifer. Did you tell them to go near that tree? They shouldn't do that. He told them not to do that. I'm dobbing."
"Oh, don't be such a pussy, Gabriel. It's all part of his plan, even if he hasn't figured it out yet."

[bena]

[milo]

It was a different poem I posted here a while back - wasn't sure if you were a member yet.  It exists in the same mythos. It seems if you liked this one you might like the other as well.

OOH! No, I must not have been here yet.  I'll certainly look for it!

But hey when the rockets take off....they do look like a shooting star in reverse, so for me personally, the term 'morning star' was really perfect.  They shine so brightly silver that it hurts to look at (it's the morning sun shining off the metal exterior)

benamel.

I found it:

Adam and Apollo


The lion wore his massive mantle
like the sun
and so they called him "Apollo"
as he strode through fields
of poppies, monarch heavy, and lay
down with the lambs.

Adam walks along the river
lion-headed; ageless fool.
Was it just a dream, the garden?
Up ahead, Death swims -
new-born, pink-bottomed cherub;
frolics in the river, as Adam
strides to meet his old friend 
Apollo.

[cjchaffin]

don't even get me started on Lilith...

[Namyh]

Milo - I enjoy tales of myth and this mighty one I certainly did too. Nice work. Namyh