The Greeks Called Me Ares

Something I wrote maybe two or three months ago. I found it while looking through some old files.

The Greeks called me Ares

Blood greases the gears of my machines

To the Egyptians, I was the goddess Menhit- “she who massacres”

I build my temples in mass graves

The Nords knew me as Odin

I am the most ravenous of hosts

The Slavic peoples revered me as Perun

Funeral pyres fuel my engines

 

You know who I am

 

I didn’t die

I simply changed my shape

I took on a new name, a new form

And you never really stopped believing in me

I have been known by many names, worn many masks

But I am ageless, sexless

 

I am your mirror

What you attribute to me, you know to be true of yourselves

 

Whether you fear me or honor me;

Whether you see the beauty of my work or despise the indifference of my nature;

 

You can’t deny me

 

Today, you call me Uncle Sam

I’m the god of war

Author's Note

I honestly can't remember when I wrote this, but I know it wasn't too terribly long ago. The idea actually came to me a few years ago; I was thinking about the nature of mythology, and how, religious or otherwise, every culture has their own myths that they pass on. Inevitably, the myths grow and begin to change along the way, in accordance with the social climate of the times. Anyway, I was thinking about how many ancient cultures had a deity or deities who oversaw the act of war, and I found myself wondering what a modern-day god of war might be like. After a little while, I put the thought out of my mind. About two or three months ago (my estimated timeframe for having written this), the question popped into my head again, and with it the answer. We do have a god of war- Uncle Sam. As soon as that answer came to me, I immediately wrote this. Years ago, this thought-cluster was attached to a much larger story that I had in mind at the time, which I haven't so much as touched. I may get to it someday; as always, time will tell.
By the way, I know the picture is tiny, but if you click on it, you can see a larger version. That gruesome customer is Ītzpāpālōtl, a skeletal Aztec goddess and one of their war deities.

Reviews

[sp]

This is well done, and I enjoy the play on mythology and culture. I like that the voice or speaker is always in a state of physical flux throughout the conversation. I find the tone fits the god of war -- cocky, proud. He or she takes into account they are never in the same bodily form, but retains the same concept or ideology as time and culture evolves. I love the turn at the end, "Uncle Sam." Its simplicity just takes me to our world today. Like a realization for me. Great job.

[Rasputin]

Thank you kindly. This is another one of my pieces that I didn't like much at first; but people seem to enjoy it, and I'm starting to warm up to it.

[sp]

I've never been a big fan of "If you don't like it, then your readers won't" because in it's not always true. Embrace your voice.

[kersee9]

This is a nice statement about the politics of the world over the ages. I think there is a name that could have been put to every god-face you mentioned--or at least the people of the age could've. The pacing works well, it builds nicely, and it's kind of a twist at the end to find out where you were going with it. Excellent work. :)

[Rasputin]

Thanks. I find it fascinating (and revealing) that even though many of the ancient cultures never came into contact with one another, they all worshiped war in some form. It turns out we haven't come very far.

[SHEEMA HUQ]

Hi I liked this deep and cleverly crafted poem. Strikingly paced and insights into ancient mythology which I'm no expert in. Really interesting.

[S. Michael Long]

well done rasputin I really like the currency of the writing.. and the social aspect.. its very well done! -s

[Erica Daubert]

This poem is by far one of the best I have read on Writers Cafe. The idea of this poem reminds me of the book "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. The idea was, that over the course of time America had forgotten all the gods once new ones arrived (the new gods being Technology, Media, Stone, Town, etc.) Odin was supposed to be the main character but he was renamed Wednesday and disguised as a drifting conman. The plot, in a nutshell, was him escalating a war with the new gods to regain his power.

Well, the point of that little rant was pretty much that all of the gods in that story walked among us, and blended in. The humans only saw what they wanted to. Uncle Sam was a good interpretation of the American god of war.

This poem is powerful, enough that I reread this quite a few times. Also, as an avid reader interested in Mythology, the title caught me instantly. I'm looking forward to reading more of your work.

[Marie]

A great poem, almost epic. There always has been, always will be a god of war. Unless he, she, it is defeated in the end (I'm not clear about that).
I dare you to find a Buddhist god of war.