from the dawn of man,
our meager minds have strived
to justify this mystery called life
where the ancient stories tell
of an eventual demise
where the promise
of immortality lies

so we created gods and rituals
hosts of deities with various jobs
and corporate assignments
to fortress the greedy and
channel the passionate
while pacifying the peasantry

then a single myth won the day
buying the old Roman’s time
spawning warring factions
Cain and Abel revised
fighting over the original fable
wanting to eliminate Adam
and subjugate Eve

now we’re disrobing the legends
with maturity and science
tethered to our fairy-taled
security blankets…still
hating in the name of love…still
killing in the name of mercy...still
fearing the dreamless sleep

Runnells, Iowa ‘16