River Of Lost Tales

River Of Lost Tales
© Surazeus
2025 09 03

Eager to learn strange language of stones, 
I kneel beside the river of lost tales 
to contemplate cruel beauty of its light 
reflected in smooth mirror of thought-flow 
that hides mute sorrow of my memories 
where no one can find them but the blind sun. 

Too honest for the river of lost tales, 
I ask Orpheus if he knows the way 
throughout confusing maze of godless myths, 
but he just smiles at death and turns away 
to scatter chess pieces on river mud 
where turtles bear them to the Promised Land. 

Shocked at the amount of civilized trash 
that floats in fragments of bitter regret 
as litter in the river of lost tales, 
I build great empire of conceptual gods 
with bricks I bake from river mud of faith 
where my family may feast without care. 

Because I should catch desire by the tail, 
I shudder when transparent doors light up 
to illuminate shadows of five apes 
eating carrots in dark amusement park 
though the last clown tries to climb up the slide 
to analyze the river of lost tales. 

Here days never dissolve in pulsing moon 
shaped by astringent shell of separation 
too desperate for the manic wind of faith 
to sharpen senseless promise of sweet lust 
tumbling in the river of lost tales 
till all my words vanish in howling books. 

Roots of demon trees extend hieroglyphs 
from fingers of my hands that grope at light 
with solemn struggle to enter the night 
in crystal boats on river of lost tales 
sold by the wicked lady who cooks meals 
because she sings with horses of the wind. 

Paralyzed by shame of still being alive 
against predictions of astrologers, 
I serve utilitarian tenderness 
to refugees of war who ask for jobs 
while wrapped in flag of their nation-state 
long erased by the river of lost tales. 

Angels drown in the river of lost tales 
before the second coming of the clown 
who works fifty years in dank coal mines 
with heart of Jesus beating in his breast, 
once baptized in the river of lost souls 
so his son programs computers for banks.