Silence

[Rosewind]

Silence
(After Constantine Cavafy)

When on another hot day,
they hid their faces
afraid, ashamed, expectant
we may have asked them, "why?"
and their answer would be,
inevitably,
'because the Tourists are coming,
you see!’

When on that same hot day
they complained
that their old values and ways
would soon be gone,
"so why don't they just stay away?"
it was all to no avail,
because, as always, the Tourists
were coming.

When late on that particular day,
they hid their faces in tears,
then raised their hands to the blue, blue sky
and cried in muffled fear,"now what?"
because the Tourists weren't coming,
after all,
all they heard was
silence.

[Rosewind]

Hi there.

In case you are not familiar with the Cavafy poem that spawned my own limited effort,
here's the Cavafy poem in its entirety. That poem is about Barbarians as a "solution",
as a means to make a whole nation rally around something (worthy?). On the occasions
when I visited Greece - I have an old friend in Patras - it somehow struck me how
annoying and necessary tourists are for that country. That made me write the poem
in the previous post. That is perhaps not a very good reason, but so be it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting for the Barbarians

What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?

The barbarians are to arrive today.

Why such inaction in the Senate?
Why do the Senators sit and pass no laws?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today.
What laws can the Senators pass any more?
When the barbarians come they will make the laws.

Why did our emperor wake up so early,
and sits at the greatest gate of the city,
on the throne, solemn, wearing the crown?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today.
And the emperor waits to receive
their chief. Indeed he has prepared
to give him a scroll. Therein he inscribed
many titles and names of honor.

Why have our two consuls and the praetors come out
today in their red, embroidered togas;
why do they wear amethyst-studded bracelets,
and rings with brilliant, glittering emeralds;
why are they carrying costly canes today,
wonderfully carved with silver and gold?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today,
and such things dazzle the barbarians.

Why don't the worthy orators come as always
to make their speeches, to have their say?

Because the barbarians are to arrive today;
and they get bored with eloquence and orations.

Why all of a sudden this unrest
and confusion. (How solemn the faces have become).
Why are the streets and squares clearing quickly,
and all return to their homes, so deep in thought?

Because night is here but the barbarians have not come.
And some people arrived from the borders,
and said that there are no longer any barbarians.

And now what shall become of us without any barbarians?
Those people were some kind of solution.

[mat james]

yes, Rosewind.

Life cycles along/around that Mediterranean The ancient Greeks once went on working tours around old Egypt and so did the Romans and every other plundering mob of adventurous empire builders ever since . I remember reading somewhere that Pythagoras (big in the math world) travelled through that same land Kavafy loved, but 2,300 years earlier, having a look at things of interest and no doubt scorned by the locals.
And the Barbarians (Germanic tribes) sacked Rome in the end and I suppose Kavafy's allusions are to this.
Tourism ties in well with the themes.

I enjoyed the tour you sent me on in your poem, and I needed the direct reference of the original Kavafy poem to really take off though..
Thanks for posting it. I like free trips to the ancient world/time travel.

Matj