Born In Hyrcanian Hills

Born In Hyrcanian Hills
© Surazeus
2026 11 07

With supple laughter of the diamond hawk 
Arcadius opens golden doors of fate 
to gaze upon vast city of his hope 
that teems with people who see him as god 
who walks in human form on fragile Earth, 
but weeps behind the golden mask he wears. 

For that is how I imagine he feels, 
Petrus explains to the wolf by his side 
as they stroll mountain meadow to acquire 
diamonds from dark mine of the Underworld 
where thousands of people enslaved with chains 
extract stars from heart of darkness with rage. 

If we keep time-leaping long centuries 
between established points in the timeline, 
Arcadius complains to the faceless clown, 
I might miss how great empires are designed 
on strict hierarchical structure of power 
based on mortal man who plays role of god. 

Driving his pickup truck back to the farm, 
with sacks of feed for horses in the field, 
Petrus sings along with the country song 
about how love is burning ring of fire 
that fuels our passion to transcend dark hour 
with Dionysian dance in pouring rain. 

Aiming rifle at the tall man in black 
who robs state banks that foreclose on our farms 
and leaves hardworking farmers destitute, 
Arcadius questions purpose of the law 
designed to help the rich exploit the poor 
against the principles that Jesus taught. 

Concerned about high price of gasoline 
that fuels his tractor for harvesting grain, 
Petrus decides to run as governor 
against son of the banker in gray suit 
who buys foreclosed farmland at auction cheap, 
but gets drunk while fishing after he loses. 

Stopping his car on highway by the lake, 
Arcadius sees some man fall from his boat, 
so he swims to the middle of the dark lake 
and drags Petrus back to the pebbled beach 
where he tries to transform into the wolf 
whose spirit was born in Hyrcanian Hills. 

Though I had been crowned the first emperor 
to rule eastern Rome from Byzantium, 
Arcadius smiles for broadcast cameras, 
today I am honored with all my heart 
that the great people of Zarathia 
have chosen me to reign as President.