A prayer to the brother of Thor. While we do not have any surviving stories of him, he does have a mention or two in the original source material. I wrote this poem during the first term of the Cheetoh-in-Chief. Unfortunately, his shenanigans have continued to much more devastating effect in this second term. The prayer was to entreat for safe borders and travels for all who traverse these shores.
We the Peoples of this Land call out to Meili.
Mile-stepper, brother of Thunder, we seek your aid for the storms have arrived on our shores once more.
We seek you on behalf of those caught in the tangled ambitions of fear and intolerance.
Lord of Travels hear our call as it is sent forth in both concern and indignation.
Our ancestors once valued hospitality not only as a luxury, but as inherent for survival and news.
Those in our government today have forgotten these values, these very necessities for life.
Meili, stand with the travelers, the people of this land and others who have been targeted by hate.
Guide them safely to whatever harbor they seek and ease the hurt of rejection.
Our land, our home, our country grows strong not by isolation but by welcoming diversity.
The storms grow stronger,
Son of Earth and Wanderer aid us!
We raise our voices in defense,
We raise our voices in anger,
We raise our voices in outrage,
We raise our voices seeking justice for those wrongly held!
Meili, guide our leaders to remember the words that have brought our citizens so much comfort over the centuries:
“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Gloss world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”*
Meili, shine bright the flame of heart and welcome that the weary may find their way safely home.
*Poem within the prayer is The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus.