Hymn to Hermes (Stories From The Vault)

Hymn to Hermes (Sestina Style)

Sing to me muse, of the cunning god Hermes,
luck-bringing messenger and the thieves’ god.
Cunning from birth and full of sweet song.
Trickster, brother and adversary to Apollo.
Deathless shadow of childhood’s cheer.
Taker and maker of life and death.

From a tortoise he took, through death,
music and created the lyre, the song
from which he gave to the great Apollo.
For his brother was the older god,
and would not be taken in by Hermes
who’s lies were full of deception and cheer.

For when the divine child said, with cheer,
to the old man, that to obey Hermes
and keep silent bore fruit, the promise of a god,
for fortune and wine, far from death.
but soon the man was away from the song
of the boy, and to the will of Apollo.

The man answered the questions of Apollo
and told him plainly, not with song,
of an infant for from death
Apollo knew the thief was child of Zeus, Hermes
and at once he was with cheer,
for the son of Leto was a clever god.

He found the cave that housed the young god
who had pacified his harsh mother with cheer
and assured her that his place among death-
less gods was secure. The clever babe Hermes
was indeed a match for his brother Apollo
for he courted him with the song

of the lyre, whose sweet song
appeased the sting of the cattle’s death
along with words from their father god
swore to ease him and fill his heart with cheer.
To be forever a comrade and friend Apollo
swore to be for the cunning Hermes.

And Hermes swore to the god,
with cheer, not to steal from Zeus,
and leave song to Apollo.