To tread where heroes dare
How far would you go for love?
An exploration of a similie... with pretty dull results. Ah well, I should have written a poem.
Do I still have to have a disclaimer if no names are used?
The ancient gods honoured their lovers with immortality. For all their foolish and wicked ways, for all their petty jealousies and spite, when they loved truly they loved forever. When they lost, they mourned forever. These gods placed their lost loves in the heavens as new constellations, rebirthed them as new species. Believe what you will of them, but realise: you still believe, you still remember.
I would give you immortality if I could. If I had the power I would change the very heavens so that the world knew your name, told your story, spoke of our love. I would wipe the sky bare for you, as empty as my heart feels without you, darkness unbroken by any star. I would transform you into a bird, crimson as passion and heat, blood and sacrifice. This bird would fly higher than any eagle, so close to the roof of the world that the sun would almost scorch its feathers. At night it would nest where the ocean touches the horizon, beyond the dawn, where only heroes venture.
I am a great witch and for a time I can make the illusion of these things. I could transfigure your body did I wish it, but I cannot return it to life, I cannot change the world forever for love of you, cannot imortalize my loss. I would give you immortality if I could but I cannot. For all my powers, my magic wand, my spells, I cannot. I cannot.
When Orpheus' love was poisoned by a serpent he travelled down into Hades' realm and played so sweetly upon his harp that the queen of that bleak place let him lead his lost lady back to life. Hercules followed this same route and Persephone herself, having eaten only six seeds, is free to return each spring.
I would walk though death for you. I would ford the Styx and brave Cerberus and beg for you at the feet of the lord of death himself. In fact, I did that last- for all the good it did. To restore your lost life I would gladly blackmail the callous Fates or offer my soul in your place.
But I know not the way that living mortal treads a path into death. All my reading, all my immeasurable knowlege has not taught me how to bring you back. Everything I have learned is useless in this task. I do not know how. I do not know.
I have threatened the gods. I have begged and pleaded and bargained and wept and screamed and sacrificed and prayed. For weeks I entreated them for your return. I have offered everything I am or will be. Everything I have to give. Everything that you loved about me, everything that you made me love about myself. I would give everything. Anything.
But if ever the gods listened to mortals, if ever they tasted our tears and heard our desperate words and condescended to answer, then they do so no longer. I cannot immortalise you and I do not know how to save you.
I can only love you. And my love is stronger than any hero or that of any god , my grief is deeper than they could possibly imagine, those who feel not the passions of this mortal realm. And in the end, who could say the earth does not turn for us, that our love is not the purpose of all things? You are my world love, my stars and my journey, my hero and my eternity. Let the gods mock us with this long berievement, they are merely jealous...
We have loved as no others in all of time shall do.
