Inaugural Man
When Dionysus, on the day of Man's
Inauguration, made for him a table
Of the finest foods and foreign spices
Did the festive god anticipate
His vices?
When Apollo hung the lantern sun,
and thus revealed to Man his lightless form,
Did gold Apollo use that first of dawns
To mourn?
When Aphrodite cupped the hands of Man
And told him: from my lovely river drink,
Did Aphrodite in her rosy wisdom
Weep?
When Ares gifted him a chariot
Of iron, fit to trample all the earth,
Did he consider what desires it
Would birth?
When Zeus decreed that Man could lead, and gave
The most of men to fewer men—to kings—
Did even he reflect on what it means
To carry thunder?
On Man's inauguration, when the land
Was nevermore the purview of the sky,
Did those inaugural immortals
Cheer?