Bard Of The Dead

Bard Of The Dead
© Surazeus
2022 12 30

The interaction of character tropes, 
that displays the progress of social forces 
through sexual tension of systemic power, 
constitutes the essence of poetry 
depicting effects from causes of actions 
that result in birth of the cultural hero. 

The Rambling Fool falls in love with the Princess 
trapped in the tower by the Bloody Tyrant 
so he helps her escape from jail of Heaven 
but they are captured by the Loyal Cop 
who crucifies the Savior of the World 
while she assassinates the King in bed. 

To avoid the tragedy of blind lust, 
because I am destined to kill my father 
and marry my mother as King of Heaven, 
I refuse to play the role Fortune writes 
by swerving off the path of social duty 
to wander the world as the songless bard. 

Choosing to live as solivagant bard, 
instead of grasping at fake straws of power, 
I stand in rain outside the city gates 
and sing satires of the Arrogant King 
who believes God appointed him to rule 
though he was born as first son of the Thief. 

The Weeping Jester in Blower of Bliss 
sings heart-aching songs of romantic love 
for the Fairy Queen who lounges at noon 
while longing for the Noble Knight of Wealth 
to return home from working at the bank 
while the Smiling Wolf stands guard by the door. 

Sadness for all the characters in plays 
that no one plays in theaters these days 
inspires me to think about the real people 
on whom are based those famous characters 
depicted as gods in every world myth 
who lived and died before recorded time. 

I hang masks of their faces on the wall 
in vast Temple of the Many-Faced God, 
then sit by the stage in the feasting hall 
to transcribe epic poems the Muses sing 
while they perform before the eager crowd 
who listen with attention to old tales. 

The stories of the living and the dead 
will be read by the people not yet born 
so I write as many tales as I can 
in Book of Souls that no one ever reads, 
then wander on into the city maze 
where I play my role as Bard of the Dead.