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WHEN WE CAN DO NO MORE:
An Ode from Thetis to Achilles
China Myers
From the moment your eyes opened, I fell in love with U
Saw who U were, adorned with beauty and a godlike essence so pure
but just one flaw...drops of humanity’s blood made U ...
Mortal ... U were – mortal, and so U must remain
Through battle and war wounds your body will refrain
Thanks to the god’s precious gift of foam and watering licks
I hung U upside down, only your ankles left mortally sick
Dipping U whole into the River Styx
You dangled there with strength - NO fear in U
My beautiful brave boy now made anew
Protected from man, but not from FATE
Given a chance of glory or long life – but no escape
Did I prime U for this life fairly, or was it a mistake?
Baptized in god’s water - a dip was all it would take
The waters glistened with reverence
At the godlike child who would be
It was all I could do, all I could share
I had heard the oracle’s prophecy
And I was racked with fear
Of how Death would become U and chariot U to his lair