Speak god

sculpture: Jason deCaires Taylor

Speak god

That night the storm tore at the coast,

pulling down rock cliffs and shifting hillsides

the mighty Longinus estate slipped into the sea,

many cattle were lost, slaves too

and the landscape changed as if an earthquake had ridden through

Below, the sea’s bed churned with mud, cluttered debris from above,

and new currents swept the old harbours away, navigation even for fish, lost

Three slaves from the ship survived the wreck 'til day break,

their execution – an appeasement to deaf gods – was slow and agonising;

their screams would wake the idle gods

 while clouds ran from a scurrying sky, appalled

The rest – sailors who fell with the bronze,

their bones like pearls about the lost god – took the easy sacrifice

The god of alabaster eyes, dressed in barnacles now, is silent

Inspired by a bronze statue of Poseidon or Zeus, found by a vacationing diver, and by the photo prompt offered by Tess at The Mag.  More results of her inspiration can be found swimming here.

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