Ghosts On Mount Olympus

Ghosts On Mount Olympus
© Surazeus
2025 07 10

When I inhale forgotten memories 
fierce feelings sprout wings from my wounded heart 
so I fly far across the spinning world 
to find the place I invent in my mind 
where I may overcome my opposite, 
and dwell in comfort of sorrow expressed. 

This world is not the one in which I fell 
asleep with blanket of religious faith 
as time shifts gears of knowledge one notch more 
which leaves me stranded on the windy shore, 
so I rise from my bed of tangled roots 
to don my wolf-fur cape and leather boots. 

Ascending steep slope to the mountain peak 
to find beyond horizon of my faith 
sun-gleaming towers of our Shangri-La, 
I peer in wind-whipped swirls of moon-white snow 
to see golden arches of that cafe 
where tourists eat hamburgers with root beer. 

Bewildered by vision of paradise, 
I stumble in large cave of shadowed fears 
to shelter from the reckless storm of time, 
but find large statue of Copernicus 
holding armillary sphere in his hand 
that represents the roundness of our world. 

When the snowstorm dissipates with soft voice 
of cupids fluttering wings by rivulets, 
I see Ganymede with Liberty Cap 
kneeling on the broad rocky mountain slope 
with bowl of wine for his eagle to drink 
as he caresses feathers of her head. 

Stepping gingerly over jagged stones 
splintered loose from cliffs by expanding ice, 
I see young mother with gossamer wings 
lift baby cupid from the crowded crib, 
kiss his cheek, then toss him into the air 
so my wild angel soars into the clouds. 

Startled by herd of goats clattering their hoofs 
on river stones, I huddle by pine tree 
twisted by four thousand years of wild wind, 
and find myself beside their grinning shepherd, 
Faunus lounging in goat-fur pants and boots 
while Latinus plays panpipes on his knee. 

Snapping photos of ghosts on Mount Olympus 
with my eye-phone, I wander in mute ruins 
of that ancient temple where Zeus played host 
with feasts and stage shows for time travelers 
till relentless shifting of the universe 
erased their memories from all human minds.