I am Athena to you, if you are Greek,
Listen to me closely, hear me speak.
I am Minerva to you, if you are Roman,
Hear me now, and seek an omen.
I am the goddess of wisdom, and the goddess of art,
I reason with my head, and not with my heart.
Metis, my mother was swallowed by Zeus,
And I formed in his head where I was produced.
Hephaestus slashed Zeus’s head with an axe,
And there in full armor, I rose from the gash.
I favor the owl, with its intelligent dark eyes,
and created the olive branch which helped the Greeks survive.
The olive serves as a delicious snack and provides wood for construction,
Although each olive is small, they have a great oil production.
Nike, Odysseus, Heracles, and the Greeks, are my friends
But with Ares, Poseidon, and the Trojans I’ll never make amends,
I supported Odysseus on his journey back home,
and inspired Homer to write that epic poem.
The Parthenon, a temple, dedicated to me,
a place of worship where Athenians go, so that I may hear their plea.
I am a virgin goddess, protector of Athens in Greece,
I support those in battle who seek justice and peace.