Ancient Legend

By Meghan Zhang

Posted on May 1, 2025

Cover Image Title: Ancient Legend

Cover Image by: Meghan Z.

Classification: Digital Artwork

Specifications: 2550 pixels x 3300 pixels

Year: 2025

Location of Creation: Ottawa, Canada

The ancients told me of a legend

A story of the horizon

Two phases suspended in space,

Placed together, their fate set upon

Endless courtship of the sky and dirt

Reaching desperately through flourished earth,

Traces of their longings waver in the ground

Blue moods in the shadows,

Set against the yellow of the day

Messages of mist rise to the clouds

Then fall back in place, betrayed.

Traces of their longings waver in the sky

Splattered against the stars,

Spinning passages with constellations

A bright moon beckoning high tide

One face that lulls the sun,

Another taking it in stride.

The weight of their longing resides

On Strength’s shoulders, 

With marble-clad depictions 

Of gravity’s burden in his possession

How many millennia have they fought

For the earth to reach the heavens?

The titanic children who bear no thought,

Clashed amongst each other

Whilst they remain dormant

Titans to gods,

Gods to worshippers

Worshippers to forgotten temples

Their names lost in meaning

Their story lost in progression

But always, where the horizon meets

Is a story of an ancient legend.

Description:

This poem is based on the Greek myth of Ouranos and Gaia, immortal figures of the sky and the earth, respectively. “Ancient Legend” is about how the couple can never truly physically meet one another, only able to interact through the forces of nature, such as the wind and sunshine. Included in their tale is Atlas, a Titan that was forced to carry the sky on his shoulders, and their Titan children. As time goes on, Titans evolve to gods, gods interact with worshippers, and eventually, all of it becomes nothing more than ancient mythology. Yet, despite thousands of years of history and their names being buried in the past, we still constantly witness the two immortals trying to meet once again in the name of love. 

[ Writing Editor: Paul A. Shannon. ]