I've Taken Up Poetry

I’ve Taken Up Poetry

By S. L. Edwards

I cast the line out and the water ripples

Silent waves and clear-whispering riddles.

I tilt my hat, and lean back in my chair

Relaxing and foregoing all of my cares.

The straw hat is rough but I cannot feel

My nerves are beneath a skin like steel.

My purple skin soaks up the lights

As I think about long gone nights.

 You wouldn’t know it but I wasn’t so nice

With a fist like iron, and a soul of hard ice. 

From the edge of the galaxy I watched and waited

All of their moves, loves and plans were anticipated.

With my army of Darkness I sought to sweep

All of the Earth and claim the spoils for keep.

…

It was intolerable. Those lame, lazy louses!

Those half-hearted, dribbling idiots saved by “heroes”!

The word is bitter salt in my mouth… “heroes”!

These insects with painted up faces, going around in costumes

Plastered with initials and symbols on their chests…

Wearing their underwear outside of their pants…

My reality is tantamount to perfection!

A world ruled by me, and all suffering ended through the destruction of free will!

…

Sorry, I forsook my godhood and picked up a pole

And slowly but surely adjusted to a new sort of role

In which I gave my ambitions away

And simply sat and laid about all day.

I’ve noticed earth’s sun is a beautiful yellow

Unlike Titan’s cold, rusted, iron sun

Your human sun is bright, fantastically mellow

Whereas Titan’s sun, is simply done.

That was part of the reason I left Titan for dead

And began my old empire, my new name of dread.

“The Bone Empire” was a name to be feared

And my ascent into godhood gradually neared.

My name was “Volos” the vanguard of all

And one by one worlds fell fast to my call.

…

It is no hard thing, to kill a god.

One must simply reach the most hidden places

The brightest, sacred, hidden away spot of the mind.

There, in sanctum cerebrum a person holds their belief

Their faith. Whether this be of a god, others, or themselves

Is of little importance. Crush that faith, and the nothingness is sweet.

And in that quiet, little empty moment, a person breaks and the world

Is made stronger on a foundation of bones.

…

The great alien warlord Volos pulls in his line

Fishing quietly, in order to merely pass the time.

I cannot die, not in a human timeframe

And there is no one to carry on my name…

But on Tuesdays I take time to paint.

My inspiration is clear, without taint

In my lovely lonely, riverside house

I have no reason to want to go out.

I know there is nothing out there,

In the sky there is only empty air

Most cannot breathe it, it is slow-choking.

A quick death, something worth hoping.

I rode the frigid snail waves of outer space

When I left Titan, and annihilated my race.

…

My army was ready, the pieces strong!

Earth was just to be another battle ground…

Tokyo was clouded in infinite shadow

As I mumbled my secret prayers

And opened up a door for my god.

A being which promised me immortality.

Immortality is not all that it is cracked up to be

When you get beat by men in costumes!

…

Men! The thought makes my rage boil.

Old plans in my mind grow and uncoil.

A thousand serpents writhe in my heart

As I remember my old, destructive art.

I sigh, and a take out my stress ball.

I squeeze it, and slowly forget all.

Tomorrow I will be making terrible pottery

And checking the numbers for the “lottery”.

I have forsaken “Volos” and gone with “Tim”

My days of world conquering, gone and dim.

I quickly reel in my line with nothing on it.

And in my grating voice say “Dog gonnit.”

I put on my hat, scream and shake my fist.

Next week my catch will be better than this. 

…

Fish of earth! You think you can defy Volos?

Volos, catcher of Bass and eater of Catfish?

Volos, who eats his fish raw and whole

Between his razor teeth after tenderizing them

With nothing but 20 pound hands?

Well I wonder, fish of earth, if any of your number are like them

Any costumed heroes, swimming down there?

If so, I will go hungry.