Blaming Pandora

Pandora lifted the lid from her box

And boy! ALL hell broke loose.

You want to put the "evils" back?

You can try, but it's no use.

 

(It wasn't a box but really a jar,

Many translators maintain.

Box, jar…call it whatever.

The story's key points remain.)

 

Hephaestus had followed Zeus' orders

And made Pandora from the earth.

The first of the race of women was she,

The story goes--for what it's worth.

 

Sickness, strife, toil, killing…

In short the ills of humankind

Escaped and now we're stuck with them.

For any evil that comes to mind--

 

Countless ways to destroy the earth,

Ways to kill, ways to maim,

Terrorist bombs, torture, and plunder--

Dear Pandora takes the blame.

 

(She shares similarities

With Eve of Biblical fame, but whether

There were connections, that would be

Another story altogether.)

 

If someone said, "See this box?

Don't open it, whatever you do."

Or gave the command, "Don't eat this fruit!"

Wouldn't you be curious, too?

 

In letting out the world's evils

Pandora was pushing the envelope.

The one thing that she left in the box

Was a little glimmer of hope.

 

Maybe that hope stays in the box--

Out of our touch. That's a suggestion.

Or if it were released, could it

Conquer evil? That's a good question.

 

Couldn't Pandora see that this

Was JUST a setup? Well, she should have.

But if SHE hadn't lifted the lid,

Somebody else certainly would have.

 

(6-6-17) By Bob B