The Journey

though the mermaids’ song is sweet and enchanting,
we must not follow, our hands must be bound tight
to the ship, and the rope burns round our wrists

and there may come a time when we must visit
the dark underworld to find wisdom
we must cross the river Styx,
but we must not stay

we must blind the fearsome Cyclops
in our path, and face down
the six-headed serpent

like Odysseus,
we’re all just trying to navigate
the long journey home.