they are powerful

they will watch

they are colorful

they are in every notch

. . .

do you dare

defy them?

do they care

about anything but them?

. . .

if you asked us

that question,

the answer

would be

no

. . .

some days they descend

from their heavens

but never will they defend

that's us; some call us heathens

. . .

generations

of the

same

pattern

. . .

they are content

to just watch

and we resent

the bleeding we must staunch

. . .

it is

their fault

we are stuck

like

this

. . .

they call upon

us and they

call us "daughter, son"

and we listen but do not obey

. . .

the thing about blood

is that theirs is gold

and ours is red

. . .

and really,

they had it coming

when their heavens

oh, yes, those heavens —

when the heavens caught fire

. . .

someone had to do it

and someone did do it

(he's in elysium, now)

they got their wake-up call

and they did not listen

so we took the fall

and in our eyes the tears glisten

. . .

yes,

we take

the falls for you

and we take

the calls for you

we ask

so little of you

and yet we get

nothing from you

(we learn to expect it)

. . .

that night

when the heavens caught fire

(again)

that night we knew

we would have to put out the flames

that night

when the heavens caught fire

. . .

some people dared

to defy

those who didn't care

they now lie

broken in the deep

. . .

that night when the heavens caught fire

we wanted to let it burn

and we wanted to face their ire

when they were to return

. . .

instead

that night when the heavens caught fire

we burned

our flames rushed with ire

and we knew what was coming

if we returned

. . .

but they are family

so we stay

anyway

. . .

and they are family

but they use us

anyway

. . .

i think of bittersweetness when i think of the gods/demigods relationships. this is the more bitter side