Professor Of Verse

Professor Of Verse
© Surazeus
2023 06 17

When wingless angels of Oxford elect 
Alicia Stallings Professor of Verse 
to enchant us as Poet Laureate, 
who chants weird visions of our universe, 
Minerva crowns her with the laurel wreath 
designed by Mad King on the windy heath. 

As Perseus plays fierce war video games 
while wielding illusion of Chrysaor 
Cetus emerges from hot nuclear flames, 
so Alicia operates Hammer of Thor 
to crush blind monster of ambitious greed 
after drinking grail of sweet bardic mead. 

Emerging from convex mirror of art 
with power of Medusa to transform 
ancient heroes to statues of the heart, 
who dance with grace in existential storm, 
Alicia wears mask of Andromeda 
to channel sacred soul of Attica. 

With stone-levitating voice of weird truth 
from singing skull of Orpheus the seer 
Alicia performs role of the dream sleuth 
whose rhyming verse dispels demonic fear 
to scatter harpies from the Parthenon 
when Apollo plays lyre in Avalon. 

When Musaeus dances on signless way 
to lead our search for life in caves of death 
Alicia sings about ascent we play 
through ritual of rebirth with honest faith 
to gather flowers with Persephone 
who visits lost tomb of Antigone. 

Awake in cathedral of slanting light, 
built on sun-baked ruins of Artemision, 
Alicia runs in valley of starlight 
where swift Diana evades television, 
and shoots sharp arrow at bold tyranny 
to guard safe Haven of Democracy. 

Sipping coffee in ancient olive grove, 
where peacock of Hera preens rainbow wings, 
Alicia ponders mystery of true love 
to translate heart-ache blushing Sappho sings 
while refugees from war on leaking boats 
swim foaming waves where Aphrodite floats. 

While Zeus Alastor presides on gold throne 
and Dionysus pours wine in our hearts 
Apollo plays lyre in the twilight zone 
so Alicia composes new star charts 
to help us navigate the global game 
by arranging words in one cosmic frame.