laud we the gods

in earliest times the concepts were quite clear
everything had a meaning that all knew
the gods were everywhere in the bright air
they told their subjects that's us what to do
their names were things of magic and of power
their priests wore mystery like a shiny cloak
each fane stood all surmounted by a tower
and to the divine rose up crooked smoke
answers were simple then though not direct
the pythoness uttered complex tales in rhyme
we wondered at their strength at their effect
and knew that disbelief was a great crime
now there's a deeper and far longer way
the gods have died or vanished in our day