14 June 2012
My little loving lighthouse
Vigilant and true
Burns bright, surpassing starshine,
Celestial guide to you.
You have made me worthy
Of Aphrodite's gaze,
You are all I think about
Through the hot summer days.
Now the summer's over
And the storm clouds loom about
My lonely tower in Hellespont
It doesn't mean our flame is out.
You swim to me no matter
Dodging harpies on your path,
Though winter waves toss you
Each as treacherous as the last.
Lo what is this?
My faithful light blown out?
Light thrown out of the world,
Not there to guide my passions scout.
It cannot be relit,
Refuses to serve
It's mistress and her faithful match
Who's light is most deserved.
All night I pace my tower
Keeping on my guard,
Observing my watch,
Scrutinising the dark, each gloomy yard.
With the weak glow of sunrise
The truth appears below,
Tangled amongst the seaweed
On the marble rocks like snow
A mangled man, my Leander,
The most comeliest corpse around.
I clamber on my windowsill
Watching the salty, frothing ground
And plummet on to Hades,
Distraught, destroyed, bereft
If I loved you half as much in life
I'll love you better after death.
Lovers #2: Hero And Leander • Opuss № I