We speak of the Greek gods

With reverence and trembling

We write poems and songs

Compose honeyed music to them

We sing of their strength

Their beauty and their force

But they have magic on their side

They are made of sea foam and power and ancient blood

Instead

How much more powerful is

The girl that denies herself sleep

Just one more page she says

Her education will save her family

The boys whose hands are forever in fists

He learned that pain persuades faster than words

And he has people to protect

The women who march

With loud voices and louder convictions

They aim to free their sisters and daughters yet to come

The people who have toppled governments and empires

With words and faith in what they were doing

The ones that died for their belief

We do not sit on a lofty mountaintop 

We are here, in the midst of the chaos

We shoulder the sky, day after day

So sing songs of praise to your brothers and sisters

To your mothers and fathers

For all they have achieved

With only their determination

Their drive, their confidence, their hard work

Do not be ashamed of your humanness

We built the pedestal we placed the gods on 

And we can tear it down