Pindarus Poem by Joseph S. Josephides

By praising you I feed those who envy you,
but instead of a life I offer you a poem,
Kiniras, not gold or land, I wish you, to be loved
by the city; dumb statues don’t suit you, only
songs that travel like ships to the end of the world.

You toiled to set anchor in the sea of prosperity,
to drink at Thebes the pure water of Derki.
Did that hurt you? Liberty cures, happiness honours,
the word and praise live longer than small works,
your victories make your parents happy in the Hades.

In Cyprus of warm seas, God erects a pillar,
a city of justice for heroes and foreigners to rest,
as Hora rests on the eyelashes of virgins and boys.

Cato will never stop your Kinirades to parade
towards goddess for your oracles, Prophet;
Apollo’s light flows like gold over the head.
Make thorax, levers to support the castles of Cyprus,
do lead with your companions the dolphins and Muses;
here, with her love bows, Aphrodite prevails war.

Play lyre for peace: a human is the dream of the light.


© JosephJosephides