Borges' story

it has a certain rightness about it...
he comes to their island to share his tale
of a man who saved the world
by offering himself up
to death

and once he is aloft,
a seabird, with arms spread,
shouting like the devil to be let down,
they beg the crucified missionary,
"Save us, please, save us."

Borges nailed it --

for the one who fails us
is neither savior
nor storyteller

but ourselves

believing the lie
that happiness is to be found
in some ancient strangers' Stoic sacrifice
in our lovers' holy ocean-green eyes
in our own heroic efforts