When seeking way to enter marsh
And slay the beast in forest harsh.
He rose to go on pondrous walk
To self about his problems talk.
Through mountain range he works his way
In thought he spends a half a day.
Then starts, at finding smoky mount
A sight that's surely fire spout.
But hero's strangely drawn to sight
And scales the mount to cryptic plight.
A little ways he follows trail
That's made by strangest magic spell.
To cave by whitest snow adorn
With walls by clever craft that's shorn.
From cave a reddish light is shone
On wall a shadows cast alone.
Of man at furnace forging steel
His hand are swift with greatest skill.
On craft unknown his mallet fell
Each mighty blow is heard so well.
The hammer rang like chiming gong
That played the tune of mystic song.
And drew the hero ever nigh
In hopes the craftsman godling spies.
When reaching mouth of cave he peers
At sight the hero slightly fears.
In cave there stands a crooked man
Deformed for gods unknowing plan.
On anvil crooked form is bent
At craft where all his thoughts are spent.
And using magma heats his craft
Then beats by using skill so daft.
To forge a dagger sharp and fierce
That surely any bronze would pierce.
Then quickly limps to mouth of cave
Where knife in coldest snow is layed.
And turns to see the hero hid
At mouth of cave to spy his bid.
"I bid that Heras Wrath abides
In cave by Vulcans feeble side"
Then cryptic stranger in cave does walk
A sight that almost makes him balk.
But hero folllows anyway
To see the mysteries held by cave.
"I Vulcan, god of metal craft
Who sat on council giving task.
A deepest guilt for hero feels
For role I played when fate was sealed.
When vote deciding fate of man
Was cast I went with Hermes plan.
And twelve of labors god then gave
Not knowing task might lead to grave.
So Vulcan seeks to godling aid
That price of guilt be swiftly paid."
The god a pair of clappers brought
To demi-god who swiftly sought
A way to flush the bird from marsh
Thus making world a place less harsh.
"These clappers fill the birds with fear
To drive them from the marsh that's near
So sound these symbols flush the bird
To place where heroes dart are spurred."
YOU ARE READING
Hercules and his Twelve Labors
Short StoryHercules must perform twelve labors to appease the Greek gods. Written in a fun sing songy style this poem tells the story of the Greek Demi-god Hercules, who is convicted of murder by the gods of Olympus. His patron goddess Hera convinces the other...
