The poet's song - a poem by Chris Zachariou

Romantic Disillusion

My sweetest lover, daydreaming

in the shade of an old aspen tree—

a green world of wondrous madness.

She, the purple gateway to a citadel
of sin and I the Mississippi River
raging between the marble pillars.

I called out for Noah's Ark
to sail into this cave of sinful wonder
but a wise fool sneered and told me
the boat has leaked for years.

In search of the Scented Garden,
I tethered my rusty chariot
to the wings of an unbridled eagle.

When I crossed the threshold,
I was triumphant.
'You and I shall live in Parnassus',
I sang in victory and then surrendered
my sword to the hungry archway.

At the peak of the sacred mountain
we burned the jaded scriptures
then she danced before me naked
and called for my shameful head.

My song was not in tune.
Kronos was incandescent and my lover raged.
She said, to her I was the old pretender then
banished me forever beyond the garden walls.