Riddle of the Sphinx

Seated in a desert fine,

River Nile a dark blue line,

Is the Pyramid of the Sphinx,

Makes us ponder so she thinks.

Head of Human,

Eagle's wings,

Lion's haunches,

A tail that stings.

Squeezed to death,

Were men and women.

Until came the hero,

With feet swollen.

Oedipus the shepherd 

Was his name,

Ended up beating the

Sphinx at her game.

Crawls on fours when

Still a child,

Runs on legs,

Young, free And wild.

Then man uses

Walking stick,

When none cares,

And he is sick.

Son of Laius 

Fair and square,

Brought the Sphinx

To her despair.

Ill-fated man,

A lot to bother,

Smote his Father,

Knew his Mother.

Progeny his, ran

Short of luck,

Killed each other,

As fate ran amok.

Still the legend 

Does survive,

With wits, you live,

With wisdom survive.