CHIRON

CHIRON, by:  Gary Every:

 

A horse has the heart of a hurricane

and while running the tail and mane

flutter furiously as if in a flurry of wind.

Horses often run fast just because they can

but horses run different from you and me.

Horses leap into the air

while the earth spins beneath them

before landing with a thud

and then leaping airborne again,

the earth spinning and spinning beneath them.

Their voices rise in song comprised of whinny, neigh

and maniacal laughter.

There was no need for these noble steeds

to ever bow to the yoke of domestication

but some horses with huge chests holding giant hearts

still the wild winds of freedom beating inside

and offer their broad shoulders to humans

in moral support.

 

Such a centaur was Chiron

who abandoned wild afternoons of lust

frolicking among the wood nymphs

to spend his days in study,

learning the ways of flower power,

studying the plants and herbs

until he became a master of healing,

teaching the first doctors.

Beast of the forest, dweller of caves

he taught heroes their ways

until one fateful day

Hercules accidentally shot Chiron

in the leg with a poisoned arrow.

Immortal and unable to die

Chiron was forced to roam forever

with horse legs which were unable to gallop.

 

Chiron was always an admirer of Prometheus

stealer of fire

whom Zeus had punished in horrible ways.

Chiron offered his own life as a substitute

and Zeus accepted

freeing Prometheus from eternal prison.

Zeus allowed Chiron the centaur to die in sacrifice,

surrendering his beast like chrysalis,

half man, half horse,

so that man might metamorphosis with technology

beginning with fire and knowledge of the stars

gifts of Chiron, wisest of the centaurs.

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Gary Every is a four time nominee for the Rhysling Award for year’s best science fiction poetry.  He has two novellas available on Amazon.com The Saint and the Robot as well as Inca Butterflies.  As a journalist he has won best lifestyle feature awards for pieces such as Losing Geronimo’s Language and The Apache Naichee Ceremony.  Articles such as these were included in his book Shadow of the Ohshad.  OhshaD is a Native American word for jaguar.  You can find more of his books at www.garyevery.com.