Goddess In Training

I wade into the water that is my aquatic sun, suited to perform miracles, refusing reprieve until work is done. I exist as a modern day Hercules, striving to discover my strength, seeking beneath the surface, striving to greater lengths. My arms tremor, causing ships to break apart, during my exhale, all sailors start to curse… yet my grunt of thunder remains the worst. My legs propel me forward, though possessing not one gill, the underwater highway provides an ongoing thrill. Mere mortals I glimpse at while stifling tidal waves, as they struggle against the current, candidates to save. Their bodies act as limp seaweed, very weak while others remain bloated buoys, struggling to seek a sliver of stamina, however slight, their sun is not yet lit, they remain in a moonless night. My ears discover the sirens, bursting into song- they talk of candy sweets my appetite yeans to sail along. However, my orb of strength is not yet found, until then, I’m forbidden to go above ground. Below in the underworld, Hades attempts to send fingers of flame upon me, yet my armor shall not bend. My joints ache, my muscles quake, yet the ember of faith I shall not forsake. Eventually, I remain erect, not on bowed knees, and have resisted pain’s pitiful pleas. A son of Zeus reaches in to grasp my hand, his grin stretching wider than the holy land. His eyes are that of a seaweed sage, with a chiseled exterior only Aphrodite could have made. His words light my face with a single shining ray, “You’ve completed your pool exercises for the day. Are you ready for the gym?” he asks, hoping I should stay, and I reply, “I’m in need of hot compresses today.” I proceed to immerse myself in towels of steam, while considering my ultimate dream of strengthening my image, in the future I will see the bountiful benefits of physical therapy.