Those who still read and believe in fairy tales
especially the Russian ones
will surely remember the scene with young Ivan,
who managed to pluck a feather
from the Firebird
and, upon his flying carpet (who knows whether it was Persian as well)
carry to the Tsar
a token from that troublesome creature which was believed
to be devouring his golden apples.
Neither the Tsar nor Ivan, however
ever seemed to wonder whether that blazing, radiant bird
had once been a Hesperid
that, after guarding the golden apple tree for so very long
in the ancient myth
decided to transform herself into a bird of fire
so that her apples might become
golden eggs hatching into future suns
of new universes
from the Tree of Knowledge