To be published in Sun, Star and Desert Sand: Poems for the Egyptian Gods.
Firestorm and Lightning
by Chelsea Luellon Bolton
Nebet Het is the Wayward Daughter
She marries the Red Lord
Of the Desert Lands
She marries Him
And Their love is eternal
They bring change and sorrow
They bring transformation
The change He brings is Swift, Brutal
Unyielding
You can’t turn away
From the lies you tell yourself
Or the hidden truths you wish to keep locked away
You cannot hide from your desires
With a slew of excuses
You don’t have time?
Make time.
You don’t have money?
Ask for help.
You’ll do it later?
Don’t procrastinate.
You feign indifference when you say you have a dream.
Stop hiding from your desires.
Stop being complacent in your life.
Take steps and get your tasks done.
These are the lessons of Set.
Don’t let excuses or complacency stop you
from living out your dreams.
Nebet Het’s change is no less brutal
But Her change is internal to ourselves
As we cry,
As we sob,
As we wail,
As we mourn,
It is the sorrow when we experience loss
It is the rage when someone wrongs us
It is the grief when someone dies
It is the emotional turmoil,
When change tears our world to shreds
Any normalcy, any complacency
Any excuse—is swiftly rebuked
Enough
Enough
Enough
The change at my door will not destroy me
The sorrow in my heart will not lead me to harm myself
The grief in my soul will not lead me to suicide
I will get through this
I will live through this
I will triumph over my fear and my pain
With the strength of Set
With the fortitude of Nebet Het
I will rise
I will wipe away my tears
I will stare down my fears
And with a smile, I will say:
Is that all you’ve got?
And your strength will rise in you
Like a firestorm
Like a lightning storm
And you will say:
I will get through this.
How about you?
Fiercely Bright One 