Hear me Athena Bright-eyed Defender Bearer of the Aegis Savior of Cities Without you, We would not know how to harvest liquid gold from desert trees Nor how to attach horse and wheel Without you, We would not know how to weave our worlds into existence Nor how to catch the wind on the sea Corruption stole you away from the common people locked you in an Ivory tower sealed you inside the sanctuary Politicians peddling their greed for glory, Disenfranchising millions in their Disregard for Democracy Betrayal for Bravery Cruelty for Compassion Cowardice for Courage Mere Miasmic Mortals who Market you to the Masses as their Machiavellian Mercenary Athena, Great Goddess I know you. I remember you. While others have forgotten, Patron of Athens, Goddess of the People, Protector of the Polis I see you Knitting on the subway Designing, redesigning the underground lines, public infrastructure benefiting all I see you Reading to kids in the inner-city public library as they dive into their first book I see you defending democracy at every polling place as people cast their first ballot I see you, Athena, in every city, in every nation, Protecting the Polis Protecting the People - Alyx the Amused, 'Prayers for the Broom Closet'