War-Bruised Heart

War-Bruised Heart
© Surazeus
2024 10 04

What temple I could build from all my ruins 
may shelter me from hostile arrogance 
of indifferent bullets in mouths of tyrants 
who decree they own the dreams people hide 
in this crowded world of war without end 
where only the most brutal crown themselves gods. 

Strange metaphors that serve the ruling class 
preserve the sledgehammer kings wield to build 
empires of the poor who work for their wage, 
yet cheer the tragic loser on the stage 
whose monologues analyze the zeitgeist 
with hidden fears that motivate their prayers. 

This three-eyed demon of the weeping tree, 
whom I conceive in ecstasy of gloom, 
decides to run in the Olympic race 
to outwit Hercules before the world, 
then sells his gold medal to King of Lies 
to found World Institute of Honest Spies. 

With angry chaos of the social scene 
blind sons of psychologists discuss art, 
then lurk together in the haunted night 
to find origin of the human race 
in secret cave down by the singing sea 
which mimics aloneness of the soul womb. 

Inspired by visions of the Holy Grail, 
Bambi paints portraits of mad movie stars 
as gods incarnate in her studio, 
then displays paintings at the gallery 
which burns down when lightning strikes, so she jumps 
off the balcony after killing Juliet. 

If I choose to worship with war-bruised heart 
gorgeous deity of America, 
that barbarous vixen of the wilderness, 
I may discover the last pot of gold 
over the rainbow from the land of Oz 
where I ask Dorothy to marry me. 

Because she owns the house of many windows 
on lecherous bank of the River Styx, 
Hera hires me to play jazz piano tunes 
at parties she hosts on Saturday nights, 
so I ask Richard Cory whom he loves, 
but he mumbles that the bell tolls for him. 

The Axolotl fish with feathered gills, 
that once transformed into enormous dragons, 
smiles brightly at me with its pink-moon face 
and eyes that know the stars of outer space, 
so I place huge skull of the dinosaur 
as god in temple I build from my ruins.