Janus - Roman Gatekeeper

Janus
God of doors and gates.
Seems simple, not so important.
But...
A house is only as strong as its doors.
In times of war
The temple doors stood open
In times of peace
The temple doors were closed
Roman flourished on war
Only Augustus managed to close them in peace.

Is this merely myth?
Did our ancestors truly believe all that Janus stood for?
What do our elders say now as they guide us into the future?
Sit child and listen.... listen to what they have to teach...

Janus is represented by two faces
One looks forward;
The other back.
Symbolizing the going in
And the coming out...
But Janus also marks the first month of a new year.
A gate keeper of the old and the new.
As we stand on the threshold of a new year
We look back and reflect on what was
We look forward to the possibilities that lay ahead.
We cannot stand there with the door open
Letting the drafts of the past infect the future
Bringing a war on our emotions.
We must say goodbye to the past,
Move in and close the door.
There is peace in closing the door.
There is hopefulness behind that door.
As January lays out before us,
Like a field of unblemished snow,
Smile and know
You make your own way here;
Life is full of promise
Make it yours and meet the challenge.
Happy New Year Everyone.

39 lines.

Prompt for: Jan 4, 2016 (Fyn) ▼

Subject or Theme: Write about some aspect of one of the Greek or Roman myths. It can be one of the gods or a mythic creature from Greek or Roman mythology.

Word(s) to Include: ancestor, myth, elder. (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): The gods have declared no forbidden words! (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: At least 28 lines, rhyming or not – up to you.

Information: ▼

Janus kept the gate of Heaven, so he became the god of doors and gates. He was very important, because a house is only as strong as its doors.
His temple in Rome had its doors thrown open in times of War, and closed in times of Peace. They were usually open! The Emperor Augustus closed the doors of the temple, since he brought peace to the Roman Empire.
Janus had two faces, one looking forwards and one looking back, since a door can let you in, or let you out. The first month of the year is named after him. In January, we look back at the last year, and forward to the next.