12 pagan gods parachuted into the automated 20th century
Blinking at the profusion of screens; blinking at the replacement of essence with speed
Flummoxed by the banishment of relations by technological crutches
Inhuman transactionality
The gods noticed that the most exploitation
Happened in the space where human relations had frayed the most
There, the awesome bulldozers of neoliberalism
Were at their busiest dispossessing communities, privatizing and extracting value
(But all is not lost – a wag said – when hollow emotionality can sluice into the emergent gaps!)
Hollow, nevertheless.
Repelled by the artificiality, their initial amusement at the weirdness rapidly clotting
Post-haste they reentered their car, headed back to the train station
Perhaps Olympus might still be there; a redemption of sorts.