Brothers

                         

Little do we realise that we too are wild animals                                                                      Starting as children, crying for mothers milk                                                                                Grabbing anything with our liitle fingers                                                                                      Pushing it in our mouths in case it is food

Then as we look around we are aware of others                                                                  There is another child in the family                                                                                            Who looks at you strangely...you're the enemy                                                                          For you have taken something precious from him

And so it was with me for my own brother hated me                                                                    Five years later I finally understood                                                                                              Mother would encourage us "Go out to play"                                                                                So we did and clearly he was in charge  

We lived in the country and we walked in the woods and the fields                                            As his plaything he would push me in the stream                                                                        Or run off and hide from me laughing away                                                                                  As some of his friends in our street came along

I leant that the best thing to do was to just walk away                                                                  Find my own friends who also lived in our street                                                                          And so it was other boys who were my age                                                                                  Invited me home to play...so I survived                              

Illustration found at www.pixabay.com                                                                                      

Io chats with Robin (Chapter 12)

It was was only when I found Io was a keen tourist did I suspect the real motive for her quest. She was revelling in the trip of course in discovering new places she'd never dreamed of before. We had criss-crossed our way across the Pacific and not really doing a proper reasearch for Io's namesake God that once had been revered before the Eaurpean nations had decided to colonise the region. When she suggested going to an island miles from anywhere I couldn't see why but agreed regardless but clearly she reaaly had no interest in that long lost god from years ago.

The gods in Greece had no real interest in change and keeping up the pretence that everything was as it had always been. No wonder Io had cottoned on to me as a useful human to show her round the Pacific regardless of finding the male god Io or his history as I was heading that way so tagged along with me. It was only when she felt that sense of awe in Hawaii that she stopped pretending and fled away from the evidence to just be a tourist elsewhere. Meanwhile I was bumbling away with my books, photos and pages of notes, trying to help!

I was totally torn between keeping my beautiful Io for selfish pleasure or to confront her with my suspicions. We were due to fly back to Nadi in Fiji then travel on to Auckland in New Zealand. At dinner clearly she knew straight away I wanted to talk. She pouted and said "When did you realise?"

"Not at first, but when we were in Hawaii, and you clearly felt the presence of the Pacific god Io it all fell in place".

"How did you keep it from me?"

I told her how I kept her image in my mind all the time; breathing in her scent, running my fingers through her hair, nibbling her ears or laying my head on her breast. So you were never completely convinced. 

She looked at me sadly "You are very honest Robin; I think I should stay with you a little longer. I know now you will never betray me". 

366 words 

Finding a new home

At Brighton town overlooking the sea

We checked apartments did my wife and me

So we looked at new ones and we looked at old

But not one visited screamed out "Sold!"

At last we found this one high on the hill

Wife's eyes brightened how she was thrilled

From its Lounge window we could see the sea

So I told her it certainly pleased me

It's kitchen was first room seen by my wife

Never seen her grin so much in her life

The lounge room fireplace was burnished brass

In fact the whole place was really first class

I spoke to the salesman to check the price

Said "Sellers just dropped it...does that entice?"

Wife nodded as she said "It does for me"

"From master bedroom we can see the sea"

With drop in price we could now afford it

We double checked each room then we did sit

Signed the offer, salesman nodded his head

Wife said "I'll see the sea from my own bed"

Image from Brighton, England seafront

Io on a desert island (Chapter 11)

 

So we both used our trip to try to locate evidence of this Pacific male god named Io in any of the many island nations that were there in this part of the world. She did most of the talking with the island people and had them mesmerised with her interest and charm.     

I was quite tongue tied but somehow she knew their language and enjoyed their feasts and dancing displays. We swam in hotel pools, walked on deserted beaches and even hired a little boat to view the island from the sea. She was a bit frustrated she couldn’t swim naked but we were told that this was not permitted. 

We found a luxury hotel in Tonga where you stay in a fale on the beach where we could be in utmost privacy just strolling to the main resort for drinks, dining and entertainment. It was there she relaxed, probably knowing she wouldn’t learn much about her namesake Io here or anywhere else either or be troubled by Greek gods looking for her! 

I had however done some research and Zeus had not made love to her as people thought but merely touched her finger; which was enough as she bore her son Ephasus. In fact I was the only person that had ever made love to her. Clearly finger touching may be fine but now she wanted the real thing…with me! 

I did ask her “Who is going to find out?” 

At this Io laughed. “Well no, its not Zeus; he has always got nymphs and maidens hoping they’re next. It is always the many minor gods and goddesses looking for the dirty on anyone else.”

I said not a word, it all seemed illogical. Meanwhile Io had already stripped off and was pulling at my tee-shirt as her face beamed with laughter.

316 words

Image found at www.shutterstock.com

Old Bertie's wife

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Old Berties wife had died

She's been ill for some time

He found her absence strange

Cryng for her for such a long time

It was cancer of course

And she fought like a tiger

To get fit and well again

But her check ups did not agree

Then one day Bertie came home

To find her crying in bed

She was in so much pain

So he called an ambulance

Told them he would follow

He could tidy the place 

Then get to the hospital

Not too long after them

Whe he finally arrived

She was being examined

Then moved to intensive care

We'll keep her in, the nurse said

She was in there for weeks

But she never complained

They worked to ease the pain

And try new drugs to help her

Bertie went in every day

And stayed for hours chatting

His wife was always hopeful

But she never returned home

Then one day a few hours

After Bertie had gone home

The hospital rang him

Saying that his wife had died

Adding "Do not hurry back"

So Bertie left the house

And slowly drove back there

For one last kiss, his last goodbye

Illustration from www.pixabay.com

Last days of the farm

It's crack of dawn and the day is still dark 

As winter starts to sleep in a lot

It's cold outside and time to start work

And checking the barns stacked full of feed

Then I trudge tirelessly around the fields

As the animals run up for breakfast

Some slipped up on wet ground as they came

For the paddock was steep in their rush

I glanced at my watch...plenty of time

Wife said a buyer's coming today

So I have to get back fairly soon

It all looks good so I told myself

So off I trudged back home up the hill

The bank told us there is no profit here

They're right of course but it still hurts us

Illustration from www.pixabay.com

Aloha Io (Chapter 10)

Io and I finally agreed to take a voyage to into the Pacific to search for evidence of this other old God Io. My Io I guessed thought it was another voyage of the Argo with lots of adventures on the way. My guess was that she was more interested in seeing a new part of the world far from her original home in Greece rather than be forgotten by the Greek population who were merely glad that there was some reason for visitors to their country so they could profit from it.

So I mentioned that it was likely that most Pacific Islanders would not know about ancient gods after all this time as they mostly had been converted to other nations gods and beliefs following colonisation well over a hundred years ago. She looked surprised saying "They probably worship secretly then."

"Thats possible" I said, "But many islanders have adopted the Western religions or the Asian ones too."  

Io just shook her head in disbelief but then said "What do you suggest?"   

I breathed a sigh of relief. "We can go to Hawaii first and and then work our way back checking some smaller islands too. You might be able to sense a belief in historical gods. Then I suggest we finish up in New Zealand to check the libraries there. 

"But won't they lie?" She said.

"No, these days historians want to record the old ways even though they are different from our own." I said and she seemed satisfied hugging me saying "Shall we go tomorrow?"

"As soon as we get the flghts arranged; but you need to get a passport."

She looked at me in disbelief as I quickly added "I'm joking of course; just checking".

We flew out to Hawaii the following week then worked our way back to Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and then to New Zealand. Io was not impressed with Hawaii until I found that there was an Iao's peak and she blithely ignored the signage to keep to pathways and was awe struck at the sight of it. She said little but shook her head saying "We should not be here, we must get away, this is a sacred place. Let's go to Tahiti next." 

Wordcount 368

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