Gallows And Love Poem by Joseph S. Josephides

Lea, this is my letter to the Governor of Cyprus*, same
with that I sent to a thief Ambassador* ninety years ago.

‘You, diabolic kleptomaniac, catastropher of History,
ironic egoist, sarcastic, sycophantic hypocrite, pause
your metallic tyranny over our authentic thesaurus.
Cyprus is a charismatic and talented Metropolis,
an anthology of democracy, a galaxy over chaos,
a microcosm of gigantic adamants, an ideal oasis.
You are pseudo Alpha and Omega of labyrinth,
a barbarian, atheistic plutocrat of pyrotechnics.
Hercules criticizes your paroxysm, cauterize you
with seismic lava, microbes, crises, typhoons.’

I know they’ll hang me; but I’ve only asked for Liberty,
my companion be the snow, mountains and ravines.
Everything is over, my soul is well prepared, I’m calm*,
happy in this most beautiful day of my life! Everyone
dies once, nevertheless our love will never die, Lea,
come near my tomb, lit a candle, don't cry for I exist,
push a handkerchief into the soil; let us hold its edges
to co-dance sirtaki, you over the soil that covers me,
me below it, with the colour of your smile in my mind.
The carnation I’ve stolen for you I bring underground;
its seed will grow, its flower will always find you above.

Onisilos’ bees will sting the robbers to fall in the sea
in a funny way, so that Aphrodite laughs at them all.


© JosephJosephides