Cosmos Collection: Terra Mater (Mars)

You humans always seek war

You seem to crave it, to breathe it

You have become death

You have become the destroyer of worlds

You seek to destroy one another

To hold all the power

To become gods

You seek to become me, the woodpecker

You are no god

You have killed your god

She gave you life

She fed you from her wolven teat

You seek to replace her, my she-wolf

My sons

I admit

I played a part in your downfall

The Tiber should have taken you

You murdered and ruled

They called you a deity

Be soldiers.

I will destroy you before you take your first steps

I will send forth Aithon

I will send forth Phlogios

I will send forth Konabos

I will send forth Phobos

Be farmers.

I will nurture you

I will offer you a sacred shield

I will offer you a harvest

I will offer you a burning torch

My spear tip will become unstained

My red sand will become untainted

My cold will become warmth

I will become human

You will become better.

Reflection

I wish for the stories of a past civilisation to be remembered and to act as both warnings and inspiration. Roman mythology has always fascinated me and I aimed to personify Mars through it. Mars offers humankind a fresh start, one free of their mistakes. I feel that Oppenheimer’s infamous quote epitomises humanity’s mistakes, and I wish for the reader to acknowledge their mistakes much as he did.