Atlas

is an open book of maps,
a carrier of Earth, muscular

and strong, with abs
of steel and robust arms.

A tenacious Titan, he endures
for all eternity,

through chaos and calm.
Without him there would be

no geography, just a basalt sky
and, perhaps, astronomy.

Kim M. Russell, 3^rd June 2026

I came across Reena’s image prompt, posted yesterday, which gives three versions of the same situation, featuring Atlas.

Reena says that we are free to choose any one or all three of the images to inspire our pieces. There is no restriction on the length of the piece and no last date. I came up with this short first draft.