Bright
Young Men Know Better
The sun god sits in golden light upon
A golden throne and sends out golden beams.
The robe he wears is purple prinked at dawn
With rose gold frets, Greek frets. His presence streams
From in his palace in the farthest east,
An east beyond the ancient kings of Khond.
There Phaeton found him. When the god released
His fullest golden glory, flashing far beyond
The boy and his worship, light so stunned
Him that he spoke in gilding his request.
The god made his reply in orotund
Denial but the lad knew he was best.
He rode the roller coaster of his doom
And left behind him tragedy and gloom.
~ Phillip Whidden