When We Were Gods Poem by Kingsley Olaleye Reuben

When we were gods
Every monster and foe in existence knew our names.
They trembled at the sound of our blades being drawn from their scabbards
Against us their shields shattered, their fiery breath worthless,
Their venomous strike bringing them no glory.
In our youth we commanded hundreds and thousands into battle,
All those souls so willing to give their lives, not for country but for heroes.
We sat in wait for the antagonists to return to its layer before we stunned
Them with our presence, meeting us they knew they had met their end.
We sought no religion, no saviour because we were gods,
Proud and mighty, brave, strong and enduring.
What we lacked in wisdom we gained in valour and deeds
And many deeds did we have to our name.
We sought nothing because we had everything.
What we all failed to do however, was slow down the hour glass
So that our glory years may not pass away like the life span of a cockroach.
When we were in our youth
We were proud an arrogant,
Hubris was our code of honour,
Obnoxious tendency our second nature.
What we couldn’t get by falsehood we stole and
What we couldn’t steal we attained by falsehood.
Nevertheless, our days of glory are long gone,
The sun set on our achievements
And in the darkness that follows our sins have
Caught up with us as over time we have lost the momentum
We once had in abundance.
A new season has dawned and in this white winter our hair has
Turned that colour, we turn to babes for strength and warmth in the Year
We forgot the creed of heroes we knew so well.
I give to my son my shield, my sword,
And my armour, it will live longer than me and
It will see many more challenges through to the end.
It will have a story to tell just like me.I teach My son the sense To be wise and to
Heed my mistakes and make none of them like the flawed hero I was.
Time has brought about change; now wisdom is great might.

My son will learn that ‘not all strength is power’.
Nevertheless, I’m sure he will hunger to move heaven an earth
As we did, for we have our epitaph carved not in stone but
Written in the stars, so that no one will forget
When we were gods.