One fine day,
when I was restless and gay
I called upon Athena
“show me your glory, to you I pray”
the sky began to tremble,
leaves started to sway
flashing a bolt of thunder as she appeared,
my eyes were left wide open while I uttered, “hey”
*
Rolling her eyes in exasperation
she looked at me and said
“why did you call me o mortal ?
what is it that have you done ?
is it even important ?
or just for mere fun”
*
I bowed before her gently
“O Athena, you are the greatest of them all
my mind is stuck in a puzzle,
that only you could help me solve
It is a situation, perhaps a question
at the bottom of my heart it lurks
I see my fellow brothers stricken by it
tell me why do they engage in work ?
Don’t tell me about the riches
treasures never caught my eyes
for I know through my encounters
there are things, money can’t buy”
*
She laughed at me abruptly and spoke at once
“O you foolish one are you intoxicated ?
what gibberish are you talking,
as if all your desires have been abated
walk with me through the mortal world,
where all the answer lie hidden
you can keep asking question, you are not forbidden”
“come here o mortal,
look at the man cycling a cart ”
*
Or
look at the man cycling a cart ”
*
Or
” maybe that women who is trying to sell handmade art
what they want in return is not a piece of paper,
neither a golden chariot nor a inch of cloth from a draper
a smile on the faces of their kins is what they seek”
*
“Tell me about that barber or jeweler or the washerman
what do they seek in their work, Athena ?”
*
“Poor mortal can’t you see, they seek your good
and the welfare of your brothers”
and the welfare of your brothers”
“look at the jeweler dedicating his life,
designing ornaments not for his, but your wife”
*
designing ornaments not for his, but your wife”
*
“Try to notice the barber,
shaving your hair, while you are relaxing on a chair
moreover using his instruments for free like that other man
do you think that’s fair ?”
*
do you think that’s fair ?”
*
“lets move on to the washerman,
I think he is noblest on your mortal land
He washes your clothes yet his own garb is covered with dirt
he sees no cast no creed no gender,
no difference in trousers and skirts”
*
“So work is just about serving others and nothing for ourselves ?”
“So work is just about serving others and nothing for ourselves ?”
*
“You speak just like a mortal,
selfish, absurd and mean
don’t make me throw you far aways in a perilous glen”
“listen o ill-advised creature something that is true
the advantage of your work will not just affect others but also you
just learn the secrets like your brothers few”
*
just learn the secrets like your brothers few”
*
“Choose something that you love like the singer in that traditional band”
“get stuck in midway, try to solve it or slap your forehead with your hand”
“break through the walls of difficulties using your dedication like that labor”
“If you get a chance, do others a lot of favors”
“learn like the old man at the marble shop down the lane”
“practice and replicate like the key maker, forgetting all the vain”
“develop patience with a little bit of faith”
“you might start small but slowly you shall grow
there is no time, cause its never too late”
*
“what happened when you follow all these steps my goddess ?”, I asked
*
“nothing, be happy and then take some rest”
*
*
as she said that line she disappeared into the stormy clouds
leaving me with a lot to think about
she was truly what they say
the goddess of hard work and action.
*
For the love of God, keep writing these arstclei.