Joyous Whimsy Of The Mad

Joyous Whimsy Of The Mad
© Surazeus
2023 02 17

The tree exploding from my ancient heart 
blooms television screens of laughing ghosts 
whose ice cream faces melt in summer heat 
when hippies dance in ruins of the empire 
to celebrate wild Dionysian rites 
with joyous whimsy of the faceless clown. 

Reborn soul of William the Troubadour 
animates my heart with ambitious plan 
to seduce cold hearts of the arrogant 
with joyous whimsy of the fractured mind 
reflecting masks dead gods throw in the trash 
with fish heads eaten by grim alley cats. 

Without my sun-nurtured heart of lost faith 
I could not endure soul-stretching years 
of nations torn by political strife 
when gangsters disguised as good presidents 
fight clandestine wars over mines of gold 
with joyous whimsy of the hungry king. 

Because Orpheus loves the raven girl, 
he measures terrible beauty of life 
by smiling bright at every soul he meets 
when he learns how to walk without his wings 
with joyous whimsy spawned by fear of death 
which he encodes in children story books. 

With joyous whimsy of the god who breathes 
ethereal spirit of the cosmic wraith 
Orpheus plays guitar in sea-town rain 
to sing about the hardy Lystrosaurus 
that ruled the Earth for thirty million years 
since wingless angel wears face of the wolf. 

Though the robot with positronic brain 
imitates artistic style of Van Gogh 
its algorithms cannot replicate 
existential angst of the tortured artist 
whose paintings generate grand narrative 
defined by joyous whimsy of the mad. 

Radiant with joyous whimsy of the fool, 
Orpheus refuses to work all day 
in corporate office of the mafia gang 
for they exploit poor workers of the world, 
extracting wealth from labor of their hands, 
then sing God Save the King in church on Sunday. 

The first time his eyes see fierce countenance 
of black-eyed Electra with wavy hair 
his heart thumps thunderously with angst of love 
so he gives her magic ring of his heart 
then flies her home on wings of Icarus 
with joyous whimsy of the cosmic bard.