***This piece is not for children.***

For “On Myths and Legends” at
dVerse Poetics.

The Truth about Zeus

by Zeus

I am Zeus, king of the gods!
My lightning bolts know no bounds!
Olympians, giants, humans
All cower at my fury!

But they don’t know
What goes on in my head,
Where I am a damned Fool,
Taking whatever I want, whomever I want, whenever I want.

Women, men, creatures…
I can turn into all of them.
I love all of them;
I hate all of them.

My self-respect is in the toilet.
I talk big talk
And throw my Olympian weight around.
But I am the biggest Greek tragedy of all.

Let’s face the facts.
Mother, wife, sisters, daughters,
None are sacred to me…
Nothing, no one is off limits.

Hera despises me,
As she should.
I don’t blame her,
But I can’t tell her that.

How does the king of the gods
Admit to the queen of the goddesses
That He, that I,
Am the epitome of liars, cheaters, and philanderers?

I mean, she already knows
I haven’t lived one faithful day in my life.
Fidelity?
Isn’t that an insurance company for those frightened humans?

I am Zeus, king of the gods!
My lightning bolts know no bounds!
Olympians, giants, humans
Must never find out what a coward I am!

And deep down inside
I wonder
If I, Zeus, king of the gods?
Can CHANGE!