Asleep Over Paradise Lost

Asleep Over Paradise Lost
© Surazeus
2022 02 07

I fall asleep over Paradise Lost, 
and dream I fall wingless from castle tower, 
then search maze of theaters for the ghost 
of Ophelia who clutches the last flower, 
so I hold her hand by the jeweled gate 
to curse the singing skull of starless fate. 

Bold soldiers of the empire with clean guns 
march singing with white flag of the Red Cross 
while silver airplanes soar past blood-red suns 
in brutal world war over who plays boss, 
but Eve leads me to garden of dead trees 
where blind Orpheus clutches language keys. 

Yet deep in labyrinth of the bleeding book 
I find Achilles and Odysseus 
sitting together by the babbling brook 
with computerized skull of Orpheus 
which calculates global economy 
to calibrate faith through astronomy. 

Alone on mountain of cold sparkling snow 
I climb on rugged knees of Mother Time 
who teaches me how to shoot with the bow, 
though I prefer to play the lyre and rhyme 
conceptual logic of parallel thoughts 
encoded in myths that guide astronauts. 

Phoenician sailor on the purple sea 
docks in Seattle after morning rain, 
then offers sharp Sword of Dido to me 
he stole from granddaughter of Charlemagne, 
because great empires rise from flames of war, 
masked with new names that hide their psychic core. 

Whether I choose Pegasus or Aethon 
as noble mount to ride in grand parade, 
I will play role as son of Apollon 
to marry blind daughter of the Mermaid, 
since Hidden Dragon is king of the world 
who rules unannounced by the cosmic herald. 

The ghost of Pallas in the White House writes 
laws of the jungle on its marble wall 
that support principles of civil rights 
only angels could claim before the Fall, 
so when Lilith finds Adam kissing Eve 
she screams in rage and demands they both leave. 

Though I wake at ringing of the church bell, 
long after God and Lucifer have died, 
I remember life in Heaven and Hell, 
once real cities that have been codified 
as timeless concepts in some ancient myth 
forgotten since fall of the monolith.