Aegean Tears Poem by Shanto Armonde

Before spreads the pure sea-sight
Blue embraced by the dying sunlight

From this high cliff-edge I call
To thundering Zeus: 'avert his fall'

The happy immortal and lawgiver
In whose name many a young heifer
Had I put to peace

I ask:

Where the sea touches the sky
Let my son's ships come by

And have the leading one in white sail
Be blown full by the northern gale

Let gallant Theseus take my crown
My castle too and exceed my renown

Let his children gather around his knees
Oh high Olympus dwellers, heed my dire pleas

But now I see against the red heavens
And my heart leaps, joy awakens!

Brave black ships, they have arrived!
Rising, restoring color to a face deprived

But

The heart leaps once more, but this time
In fright at the gods ungodly crime

Black sails I sight, and blacker my soul becomes
My core beats like the loud war-drums

And soon my view is by tears obscured
By this grief that cannot be endured

No son to carry my name, my riches and kingdom ended
Was it worth for such an adventure, a prince expended?

My tears fly into the ocean, my cries towards the gods
But unlike earth and water, my mind is not at odds

Off to Hades I am, to reunite with my son
To ask him what had him undone

Was it the labyrinth where he lost his way?
Or was it the beast, had he failed to slay?

But most I want to embrace him declare
That we are reunited by my despair!