Poem 069: In Memoriam Poem by Samer Madbak

This one is in memoriam of Adonis, friend of mine,
Adonis, man of form and grace, of spirit superfine,
Adonis, noble-hearted, incomparable in bloom…
Yea, that was him before he dwelt the silence of the tomb.
That was Adonis, when of yore he loved a deity;
Astartè, unsurpassed in charm, unmatched in vanity!
He sought her love, her passion, pity, warmth, her amity,
She thwarted his advances, scoffed at him, O cruelty!
Adonis, anguished, turned away, a broken heart to soothe
And eyed the maidens of the goddess, temptresses of youth.
He loved them, all! But no fair was considerate enough
To salve his woe; they banished him, a man devoid of love
No sanctuary, defamed, Adonis fled away in pain
To seek no more, for erstwhile had he sought and sought in vain.
A halcyon hand he fin’lly found, but not at Hebè’s home
Nor at the shores of goddesses, for he was bound to roam
Directed by his fate, Adonis! Thou ill-fated man
To find a true affection, elsewhere, in the lap of Pan!
That now against the odds, against the gods, against taboos
Two youths in sodomy, defiant, broke the law of Zeus
To savour love, whatever love! Th’Olympian sore aghast
Forbade Adonis to decease, Adonis standing fast
Paid no heed for the aegis-bearer nor the Furies’ ire
But boldly mocked all morals, giving ground to his desire
That soon of that unnamed disease, Zeus’ curse, Adonis died
And perished he, not curbèd, but appeased and dignified!


Beirut
November 4th 1989