song of the wandering god

[betteroffbad]

an old old man came rambling down
the hill path toward the old old town
with goat and oaken staff he stumbled
and while he walked he wetly mumbled
words no scholar could translate
or find engraved on silver plate

Who was he? you may well wonder
Once he was the god of thunder
Once a while ago he made
A bad mistake and was dismayed
He wanders now to make amends
and tries to help his human friends

Long ago when crops were blightning
he struck some poor guy's goats with lightning
He didn't really mean to do it
but those goats were dead and that's all there is to it
Now he wanders, goats before
Bare heels behind, from door to door

You may well wonder at this foolery
Don't gods enjoy total immunity
from all their blunders with the mortals?
Can't they hop back through their portals
and escape responsibility?
Most of them, yes. This time, not he!

He felt so bad about those goats
He offered their owner golden boats
And other things that he assumed
A mortal would want to have in his room
The guy said, Why not let me choose?
What I really want is for you to walk in my shoes.

So the powerful god of thunder and lightning
Was humbled to a degree he finds truly frightning
And happy the man who provides him with shelter
Or a glass of lemonade in the afternoon's swelter
He'll reward you with gifts and honors high
Once he figures out how to stop being a regular guy.