Old Gods, New Tricks

Random,
out of control,
uncontrollable, inexplicable acts.
These are the things that have prompted our pacts
with capricious,
inconstant,
volatile,
mercurial gods;
hoping,
praying, that they would help us to overcome the odds.
But with science so certain,
so pervasive,
then what is left
of the perplexing,
the frustrating?
The Gods would seem bereft.

Like many, Sebek, the crocodile god,
has been flexible,
has improvised,
has taken on a new job.
He has listened to the complaints,
to man’s modern moans
and has chosen a new role as the God of Mobile Phones.
From having his maw so close to his shell like
the crocodiles jaw means he can actually speak into the mike.
So he encourages gossip,
and rumour to multiply,
and spread
till the flood of disinformation means everyone is misled.
False impressions,
propaganda, strong enough to bring down a king.
And we’ve sacrificed our privacy,
serenity,
our musical taste to this thing?

Just think of public transport,
of buses,
of planes.
Who hasn’t complained about the state of the trains.
But who is to blame?
Who toys with us so?
Who is malicious enough to cancel three planes in a row?
Goddess of Public Transport? That’ll be Bast. That witch.
How strange that a cat,
a feline, should also be a bitch.
What is her sacrifice?
We’re expected to kill time.
We already invoke her name
after those generic,
superficial,
insincere apologies that make our blood pressure climb.

A new comedy appears on the idiot box tonight.
Will this one be a hit or once again a miss.
Should the production company employ focus groups
or simply pray to Anubis.
For Anubis is now known as the God of the Sitcom.
Deciding whether people laugh heartily,
and roar,
or if it will bomb.
There’s a mythical,
fallacious,
and, to be honest, somewhat ironic belief
that they all seem to follow to avoid coming to grief.
They seem to believe that if it is to be light hearted enough
They must sacrifice all substance,
intelligence,
and shining wit, to ensure it’s not duff.

There are some gods that know how to succeed,
how to win the game,
how to play.
Dionysus had a makeover as Bacchus.
Now there is a god who will never fade away.
But for an antagonist,
the Anti-Bacchus,
look to one who at first made a less durable choice.
But she’s made up for it now.
Now she has far too important a voice.
Confusing,
Contradictory are the commandments from the Goddess of Health Advice.
So moderate also your worship to Ament
or worry yourself into a premature sacrifice.

So they’ve all found a way,
a means to keep oblivion at bay.
And in this modern,
advanced,
technical world I’ve never felt more need to say
Oh God, do I feel the impulse to pray.

One rumination on “Old Gods, New Tricks

An ode to 21st century life for some......existence Vs existentialism.

Good to meet you yesterday Adam....I'm off to practice my scissoring.....

Ruminate

Comments that don't add to the conversation, may be ridiculed, removed, or revised to say just about anything!

Name*
Email*
Website