Grimace For The Modern Stage

Grimace For The Modern Stage
© Surazeus
2024 04 15

Jumping on concert stage in flashing lights, 
Oedipus strums lightning-bolt melodies 
that blast aggressive vibes of flaming bombs 
across huge stadium of wild dancing kids 
while Dionysus grips gold microphone 
and howls satire song that mocks senile Zeus. 

Riding in the long silver Limousine 
that gleams in neon lights of theaters, 
Oedipus eats Big Mac and drinks root beer 
while Jocasta snorts cocaine on the mirror 
through the rolled-up one-thousand-dollar bill, 
then whoops and hollers as her brain explodes. 

Diving naked in the large hotel pool 
that shimmers bright with the red vampire moon, 
Dionysus swims with twelve nameless nymphs 
who giggle as he drinks huge glass of wine, 
while Semele stands on the diving board 
and twirls slowly after eating mushrooms. 

Kicking open door to their hotel suite 
and shouting for his wife to come how now, 
Athamus waves large pistol at the crowd 
till Jupiter demands that he calm down 
just as Semele twirls into the room 
and explains she is with Minerva now. 

Begging Semele to take care of Bacchus 
who cries out for his mommy in the crib, 
Athamus shoots pistol at Jupiter, 
startled when the bullet shatters glass door, 
so Mars and Creon slam him to the floor, 
and Semele falls asleep on the bed. 

Filming it all with the video recorder 
while lurking behind statue of himself, 
Oedipus narrates secret fantasies 
he imagines each person at the scene 
attempts to hide in darkness of their heart, 
then asks Jupiter how he really feels. 

Presenting grimace for the modern stage 
as she charges into the crowded room, 
Jocasta declares she can see the future 
where humanity will destroy itself 
through unchecked greed of obsessive desire, 
then stabs out her eyes with laughter of rage. 

Waking up alone in the hotel room 
as morning sun gleams through a shattered door, 
Oedipus stares in the mirror of truth 
at wrinkled old fool staring back at him, 
and just for one moment ponders how his life 
would be now if he had studied the law.