Kind of quirky, a tad controversial, a little whimsical and chockfull of farce
Author: Mahvash K. M.
I consider myself somewhat of a serial corporate rut absconder because a sabbatical that was to last a year, has turned to eight, and I still see no end in sight. Before that, I worked in the Financial Services Industry. When I’m not writing, I’m fussing in my head, over ideologies of social justice and equality, with superhero twists! My stories and poems have appeared in The Rumen, Sequoia Speaks, Recesses, Every Day Fiction, Blaze Vox and Double Speak magazines. My poem, “Veins” was long listed in the Plough 2023 poetry competition.
Books:
The Girl with the Paisley Dupatta - (short stories)
Shimmering Scraps of Poetry and Madness - (Poetry and essays)
Curious Animals and Quirky Creatures - (Children’s Series)
https://www.facebook.com/Mahvash.Moht/
Known as a trickster from the time he was born When he was just four days old in his crib Hermes stole Apollo’s sacred sheep With a crawl, a jump and a skip
Hermes grew up to be a messenger To the gods; they now send Him on adventurous trips between The worlds of gods and men
Magical winged sandals carry him At fast as lightning speeds One moment he is in front of you The other moment on Mercury
When he is not carrying messages He is busy making things The sweet sounding lyre, the first ever fire The dice and even writing
Hermes helped his brother Perceus Kill Medusa and her wriggly snakes The brothers fought bravely together There really was no room for mistakes
The messenger of gods also protects All travellers - merchants and thieves Schoolboys and schoolgirls, fathers and mothers Are all watched over by Hermes
In all this delivering, protecting and fighting Hermes still finds time to play This master of fun, when he fools someone You can hear him laughing away.
Known as the blacksmith of the gods Hephaestus controls fire He can mould metals into any shapes And things that he desires
This god of fire can also breathe life Into all his metal creations He’s made two golden ladies who help him They are both quite a sensation!
His workshops are many, countless in fact Every volcano has one, we are told He and his maidens make knickknacks and weapons Of bronze and silver and gold
The tools that Heaphestus uses to build Fabulous things in his workshop Are also his symbols of magic and power The hammer, the anvil and tongs
Some say he’s married to Aphrodite The goddess of beauty and love Whether she loves him back in fact We really cannot be sure of
Hephaestus is the only god of Olympus Who is lame and can’t really walk But that doesn’t stop him from being A great and powerful Greek god
So next time you see a particularly Beautiful piece of metal art You will know that in some volcano Hephaestus is working hard.
The goddess of the hunt is asleep She does not walk tonight Not a leaf nor a cat, a branch or a bat Is awake or stirring outside
But there are nights and even days When the woodland is alive With the whip and whoosh and the ta-zing Of her powerful arrows in flight
Artemis protects women and girls And animals with hooves and wings It is true, that she hunts them too The animals, not the human beings!
She also has healing powers The flu, measles or the mumps Don’t have a chance when she’s around She’ll pull you right out of the dumps
She is the goddess of nighttime Of nature, moonlight and dew She can transform into any creature She can turn you into one too!
With her silver bow she is just grand A huntress like her is rare She never ever misses her mark Be it a mean wizard or a hare
Sometimes Artemis spends time with her twin Apollo the god of music and light The woods are filled with laughter and song And barbecues through the night.
Beautiful, strong and regal That’s how this goddess is described She is the queen of all the gods And helps families unite
Although she is a champion Of women and their lives Her heart is full of poison For her husband’s many lies
She is married to grand old Zeus Who loves being with the ladies Hera has tried with all her might To send him off to Hades*
But the god of death cannot best Zeus and his lightning bolt So Hera now tortures her step children With punishements untold
When Hera is having a good day She is sweet, gentle and kind The cow, the peacock and the cucukoo Shine as her symbols divine
But when she is angry with Zeus She is as jealous as a goose Zeus says sorry and stands on his head And then finally there is a truce
Along with Zeus and his lightning bolt Hera lives with her cuckoo and crown She reigns from above on mount Olympus But to earth, she rarely comes down.
Mahvash Mohtadullah 