Poem: Modernity

Modernity, you come to me crowned Caesar

Into Rome.  Triumphant, lacking shame,

With captives in your train.  But who these two?

High Ideals of antiquity brought low.

The first, the large and noble Chivalry,

Graceful in even defeat, against whom

Your power first arrayed.  His field well chose

And perilous, his fellows strong of arm,

Lady at his side.  Who could best this hero?

Modernity, master trickster, General sly,

You spoiled his game.  For what in nature is fair?

Does Darwin fight one to one?  Or Hawking

Bide his time to let the foe arise?

His destrier unburdened bucks and rears

With echoing report.  His lady glares

With feminist zeal and the smoking discharged gun.

Mighty Progress!  Peerless seducer proud!

A grinning toast to you of blood red wine.

Modernity, let me lay this laurel wreath

Of conquest on your twice victorious brow.

The second captive, mocked in porphyry stands.

No open field hosted bent Romance's fall,

But subtle plotting, sweetly intricate.

Your genius elevates your foe in screen

Until his risen fame has climbed so high

That leity dare not to hope his grace

receive.  And in between his hight and those

Courageous lies a tangled forest you've sown.

Here model nymphs and lusty displays blink,

And beckoning beats and siren's song entice

To dance and grind in boiling seas of limbs

Entwined in mirth.  Where moans of parting legs

Replace the sighs of parting lips at the sight

Of roses.  Where once the fire kindled bright

By blushed breaths of poets inspired dreams,

A four alarm blaze of obsession now frights.

A shout and shot of Chambord, I toast you, victor.

But hold before you rest, finish what you've

Begun, and root your enemy out, he thrives

In me.  Your time now, your chance, my strength

Vainly used in brave sorties uncheered

Returns to hide entrenched behind these walls.

Assay these weary defenders, call upon

Your vassals and tributes all.  Gather your pow'r,

Your host entire charmed, and battle this influence.

Should I survive my cloven heart's collapse,

The battle won, I'll toast with glistening eyes

And hemlock true, your latest, greatest, victory.