Erebus' Lament

Erebus: in Greek mythology, the primordial god of darkness

My father’s one mistake
was that he began to want things:

one thing in particular
he should not have wanted
was a light
that he could turn on
and off.

He was never content
with our mute
nothingness�"
it made him want many things,

like a crown

and heartbeats in his hand.

So he made Earth
and we bit our tongues,

turned away.

You cannot turn on a light

without abandoning darkness.

In this prison my father
has cast me to, shadows
pass through me, use me. I long only

for absolute night�"Oh!
Let my beloved Nyx
block out this sticky aither
of humans: the candlestick buildings

that pretend
they will never soften, the polishing

of sylphlike spoons after dinner�"

All these humans think love

requires reds
and blues�"just look
at this flashing bar, filled

with animated chests

and stroking hands.

All but this woman here,

I must admit.

She gives no color

to this panting man.

Watch her lips pulse
with plans of escape�" she reminds me

of my home
where I once loved
without need
of word, color,
or heartbeat.