The Used Lover Blues (4)

A hasty summit commences
upon Mount Olympus
amongst some random Immortals
(Not the fictional entities
of Harry Potter, but the fanciful
deities of a bygone era)
with an opening statement
from Demeter . . .
the much revered Earth Mother;

“I tend the grasses,
the forests and fields.
With Helios and Apollo,
in a timeless dance of tide
and chance,
we witness the glory that
life reveals.
And we weep
at the tragic story
that hatred unveils.
The daily drama of trauma.
Lives of fear and torture.
But yet, resisting the beat
of Chaos’s hammer only serves
to make men stronger.
May Adam’s children
never fall under
Zeus’s fickled thunder.
Son or Daughter,
Sister or Brother,
where love is true
what does it matter?
If where you’re at
is far from happy,
when you know
that you know
you are not where
you are meant to be.
For you, who’s to say
what isn’t and what is.
It is meant for you
to be free!
Know thyself.
Don’t try to be someone else.
Dying to survive
in a world of masks and lies.
Wise men, drugged up mules,
and drunken fools,
all making regulations and rules.
Filling my landfills
with broken souls.
When it comes to true love
from above,
resistance is useless.
They should all take a dip
and dive the cool waters,
in the pool of Salmakis ?
Rising to the surface
free to find truth,
and their own true bliss.
No longer to live, and die,
under the hateful glare
of somebody else.
Far above, where down below,
loveless banshees pry and hiss.
May Chronos,
by there own hatred,
turn them into dust.
Or then again, may they
be led to where love is a must,
with Aphrodite as their guide.
On these matters Lords Helios,
Apollo, Poseidon, and myself,
stand side by side.”

“Sun, Moon, and Sky.
Ocean wide and Mountain high!”
bellows Poseidon in agreement.
“A flood of tears and blood
(not to mention plastic)
is disturbing my waters
in a manner most tragic.”

At the summit upon Mount Olympus
all things are now up for discussion
in a casual open forum
amongst the gathered grecian pantheon

“Wow, Demeter,” exclaims Zeus,
“I wasn’t expecting a lecture!
A sermon here on the mount!
But I see your point.
Those mortals
seem to be lacking
a degree of human decency
and mutual respect.
Some are decidedly
wound up a bit tight!
And Apollo, the absentee,
sends a sincere apology,
since he only comes out
at night.”

Electra, the bright spark,
now declaring,
“By Apollo, I’m no Virgo,
but what can we do about that
ridiculous Titan, Religulous,
and his banshee minions?
Of which there must be millions?
God only knows!? Oops!
Sorry your Royal Pantheonites.”

(Electra, only human,
attending as a guest speaker
at the Furies invitation.
Those ‘Infernal Goddesses’,
alway off on some
vengeful mission.)

“The trouble with divisive
religion”, Electra continues,
“is disproving and removing
the firmly held ancient ruins
and rubble from the stubble.”

“I don’t wish to speak ill
. . . but I will.”
Out from the corner of a shadow
comes Erebus preaching.
“This ‘Love’of which you speak,
is it not a sickness?”
“I wish not to sermonise,
but, can I get a witness?
As you all must know,
some things are simply against
the laws of nature, I surmise.
As if man, a lowly earth
bound creature, was to sail
off to the moon, or start
flying through the skies!
Those mortals should never
go against Queen Hera’s wishes.
And think of the children!
Urchins thrust into the most
unnatural of situations.
On this matter, I seem to be
more grounded than you,
Demeter!?
Defending these humans,
who be busy desecrating
your sacred land!
Exploiting the very ground
upon which they stand.
Who knows
where it will all end?
They think the Olympics
are just a game,
where everybody wears clothes
so they all look the same!
Perhaps in that dance,
with Apollo and Helios,
your Tuscan marbles were lost.
(If by chance,
you had night vision,
you’d see Erebus
grimace with derision)
All very romantic
but I find Apollo
to be devoid of life
and a bit of a lunatic!
And Helios,
you son of a fallen Titan,
Hyperion the overthrown,
your light may be on,
but no one is home!
Your rays may well reach
to the very edge of time.
But beyond there
is the Blackness,
and Helios,
that is all mine.
For you cannot see
in the light of day,
that love be verboten,
and is clearly a crime.”

“Yes Erebus,
yours is the darkness!”
replies Eros,
giving his long locks
a dismissive toss,
“… And forbidding love
is truly the crime.”

“Erebus, you prefer
to demonize.
Most diaphanous
is your hypothesis!”
replies Helios,
“Love that does no harm
should be
nobody else’s business.
Who wrote the Book of Love?
Did you Erebus?
Have you read it,
seen it with your own eyes?
And yes,
I can see way past Apollo,
and your best friend, Pluto.
Far beyond
this creamy dreamy galaxy
and through all
the starry constellations.
I find life to be
a richly woven tapestry.
And the grandest of all
are these earthly creations!
An enlightened
and beautiful mind
is part and parcel
of the Grand Designer’s
heavenly intentions.
(Several gasps and
grunts of “Blasphemy!”)
Shining in true freedom
As reflections
of pure harmony.
With all the complexity
of shaken up biology,
psychology, even spirituality.
Where as you, Erebus,
in the darkness of simplicity,
blur and confuse,
in order to misuse and abuse.
Body, Soul, and Spirit,
should always be
in synchronicity.
Psyche, lovely lady,
do you not agree?“

“Spirit, Soul, and Body
… in balance!
I most certainly,
psychedelically, agree!”
Replies Psyche,
lying on Zeus’s couch
writing love notes
to Eros, very quietly.
“Erebus, your Royal Darkness,
and Most Titanic Villain,
every time you speak
I get this sinking feeling!
You make Apollo appear bright.
And I am
thinking of the children.
Better to be uplifted
in a loving family
than cast down and out
into emotional poverty.
Of this
I have some understanding,
for as you know,
I was once human.”

“What’s on the agenda?”,
enquires Pan as he enters,
“Because Dionysus,
he’ll be a no show.
He’s off on a bender,
with Pandora,
and some Panamanian dictator.
But he extends his excuses
to the esteemed Head Togas.”

“Thanks Pan. Late as ever”,
Sighs Athena.
“We’re asking why panophobia
is taking over?
Now be a good Immortal
and shut that gaping portal.”

“Talking of which,”
Ares jumps in,
“We should get all deluvian
on their collective arses!
Like go all out Old Testamental!
Then, with some modification,
start all over again. Simple!
But this time, Eros,
you best take a long vacation.
Prometheus gave mankind fire,
but you, Eros,
gave them burning desire.
Along with all
it’s mixed up confusion.
The Erotes
have those silly goats
by their scrawny throats.
And, Lorde Psyche,
you may now be
amongst the Royals
and a Pure Heroine,
but in this matter
you are sadly mistaken!
Make War, not Love!
Confliction
is my chosen vocation.
For Life is Destruction!“

“Life is Creation
you moron!”
interjects Eros,
fuming with frustration.
“Continuous recreation,
continuously.
They’re only human after all.
So don’t put the blame on me.”

“Wrong time, wrong place,
and wrong religion,
Ares my son”,
Zeus jumps in, with a grin.
“But I do like your thinking!
And please excuse Eros.
He’s missing his mother,
Aphrodite, who’s taking
an extended holiday.
She’s in mourning
for the passing
of both young Achilles
and Leonidas. Your fault, Ares.
And we all know Prince Hector
was her Troy Boy.
With great remorse,
her love life ever since,
sparsely Spartan.
So Eros, kindly pass on
our condolences to
the Queen Cougar for her loss
the next time you see her.
(Aphrodite tells not her true
age to any of her many lovers).”

“And Atlas”,
Zeus continues,
“thanks at last for coming.
Grab a seat
and take a load off.
Looks like we’ll all be here
pontificating on this same old
thorny question
till the world stops spinning.”

“King Zeus,
how’s the family going?”,
asks Atlas, politely enquiring.

“Queen Hera is in the kitchen”,
Zeus replies, “doing the dishes”
(Demeter and Hera
can’t stand to be
in the same room together.
Two royal wives
of the one disloyal partner.
Not to mention what
Zeus got up to with Europa)
“Persephone is now Queen
of the Underworld
having married Hades.
Young Hermes, as always,
he’s off on a mission.
Ares here, as usual,
in need of some
military discipline.
Apollo is having a sleep in.
He’ll no doubt
be up later this evening.
Artemis is off hunting.
Shooting in California,
where Hollywood
is creating a Superstar.
And they’ve made her
change her name to Diana?
It’s all left me to wonder,
this time
has she gone too far?
As for the others,
you know me Atlas,
too many to mention
(Zeus winking).
But we’ve all
been having fun watching
the trials of Ulysses
since Morpheus
gave him a dose
of wanderlust.
(To be, or not to be
confused with the matrix
of a Wholly Trinity,
So, for a heathen’s sake
Ulysses take the red pill
… and awake!)
Thanks Atlas for asking.
And Erebus, if you and Ares
keep making messes,
you two will be the ones
going against Hera’s wishes!
Now Atlas,
may I put you on the map
for some heavy lifting
in this discussion?
Who’s up next?
Who else wants to chime in?“

“Man has been granted
too much freedom!”,
as Chaos
joins in on the chorus,
“All this `tolerance
and acceptance´
is at my expense.
With their democracy,
and equality.
Everything all
‘nice and orderly’
(unless, of course . . .

you’re a slave or a woman).
But my Project 2025 Action Committee
is about to trumpet in a new millennium.
It’s high time Pan and I
go down and start campaigning.
Kick up some pandemonium!“

“A little flash in the Pan”,
exclaims Pan,
“A Pantastic idea Chaos!
Worthy of myself.“
(Pan known to be prone
to a bit of self promotion)
“Man, they can not handle the Pan’s
hot cookin’ with Chaos,
and perhaps a dash
of Phosphorus thrown in.
Not forgetting about you,
Ares, bringing down
some serious Armageddon.
For Ares, my friend,
you think War is gay politics
by any and all other means.
Because warfare makes you happy
and is the stuff of your dreams.
You are Ares,
the Spirit of Battle,
in all your gory glory.
But this conflict may require
a little Pandemic subtlety.
That reminds me, Zeus,
I wonder, does the director
of that movie realise Artemis,
Diana, or whatever
has taken the oath of virginity?
Poor Orion,
he will never recover
from his close encounter
in the proximity
of that vicinity!
There’s your,
‘Love That Does No Harm’,
Helios.
And what exactly
did happen to Adonis?
As for you Demeter
I think maybe
somebody has hugged
one too many tree!
Speaking thusly,
come on Electra,
since you’re up here,
how about a
Mount Olympus knee trembler?”
(Pan being most malicious
and capricious by nature.)

“Do not pander
to Pan’s megalomania!”
pleads Hermaphroditos,
“Nor his nasty innuendos.
May we please get back
to the agenda?”
Hermaphroditos continues
addressing the Powers,
power dressed in a black
leather pantsuit.
Always the trendsetter.
The first ever
to trans & unite gender.
“Can lowly man, with all pride
put aside, ever transcend?
Will they never resolve
to é evolve?
Plus de guerre!
Pour permettre amour to évoluer”.

“In Greek you ancient freak!”,
exclaims Ares, “So to speak!
Brother Hypnos,
If there’s any more talking,
please, put me to sleep.
Poseidon you are wet
behind the ears,
and off with the fishes.
When you should be in
the kitchen sink
helping Hera with the dishes.
And Electra, I know you don’t
truck with Triton, nor any Titan,
being a mere human,
so please don’t take offence,
but this is where
the big swinging Gods hang out,
here on Mount Olympus.
I think you may be
on the wrong side
of the mortal fence.
As for that Titan Religulous,
you’re being ridiculous.
Leave him alone.
He is very good for my business”.

“Helios, shine a light,”
entreaties Eros,
rising to the defence,
“Rambo here
is looking for a fight.
And Pan, you truly are
the Colossus of Taurus dust!“

A bolt from the blue
like a reckoning gone bust
and long overdue
The sudden pounding
of Orion’s belting
amid a clash of Titans
in a flash of lightening
with a trident striking
… used as a cue
as Zeus and Demeter
the Earth Mother
call it a night
after a game
of cosmic snooker
bidding one another
a fond adieu

By and by … so to say
I know that not one jot
of the law and all
will ever pass away
lest the books of Moses
become nothing other
but a passion play
Yet now and forever
the Law of Love
is here to stay

Is it ever okay
to make a stand
by standing on a soapbox
and ripping apart
someone else’s
state of the heart?
Is that part and parcel
of a loving God’s plan?
Jesus didn’t do the hard sell
to the woman at the well
saying truthful things
only divine love can tell
But when it came down
to the religious self-righteous
Jesus gave them hell
with a side serve of justice
Just as too much wanton lovin’
brings a man no honour
too much religiosity
curries a man no favour
with the true loving Saviour

When the rubber hits the road
and you’re down to the bone
you are always as ever
yet never alone
Blood out of a stone
A seed that has grown
Every new day
a time to choose
A time to fight for the right
even when and again
you’re certain to lose
Where does the struggle end?
Where do I begin?
A time for flight
even when you’re certain to win
Overcome in the name of love
have I endured all things?
To be numbered amongst the dead
by friends and family alike
when just a bit late
getting out of bed?
But then again
it’s been a long haul flight
returning to the land of the living
Where only Doctor Feelgood
was seen celebrating
in the Tardis
whilst writing my prescription
finding only an imbecile
takes the blue pill

Perhaps one day
all will be forgiven?
But not when the remembrance
of an Olympic romance
is being driven into the dust
The wisdom of age
is never a given
having survived the hot blast
of an epic rage
Perhaps that’s the point
to this odyssey we’re living?

Out from the darkness
of Erebus
with all the ransomware
of Tartarus
words like a virus
A desert mirage of sabotage
bidding Ulysses a bon voyage
in a haze of rage
Are we on the same side?
I tried to play it nice
but that’s my blood on the page

Them used lover blues
an oasis of muddy waters
(where the Humungus
took on Mad Max
only sadly to lose!)
when those delinquent
daughters of Zeus
declare the scene a crime
for any brother
or sister of mine
to walk a mile in my shoes
To discover for themselves
truth’s missing pieces
Putting together all the clues
whilst watching the detectives
(just like that other Elvis)