Oh mighty Athena
Thou hast fallen. City of the sun, thou hast turned into ruin, a pile of dust to be scattered in all four corners of the earth. I saw you last night, in the crystal ball in my house. I saw you crashing down from the night sky. I saw you, stripped of your pride and robbed of your grace. I saw your downfall, tower of pride. I saw you fall. Let sorrow become your second name and let grief be the fruit of your loins. Gather the best that still live, to write your dirge and goodbye song. Summon your prophets and soothsayers and watch them beat their chests and tear off their hair. Your children wail with a hunger that cannot be satisfied and the men spend their whole day worrying and hoping. Oh mighty tower of hope; you have now become the chamber of desolation. Forgive us mother, for anchoring our ships in your port. Forgive us, for we got intoxicated with the mangoes in your trees and coconuts in your beaches. Forgive us, for we truly loved the wine you brewed and the beer from your stores. Oh have mercy on us, for we were in love with your women and your great gods. Oh mighty Athena, where shall your mighty ship sail now that you have left your seas desperate and confused? Where shall your cooling breeze blow now that you have devastated the coconut palms and the sweet song of the papyrus? Where shall your men and children run? Where shall they hide among the ruins? They that worshipped at your feet ran and now here you lay, empty, and alone, embracing yourself in eternal solace, oh mighty Athena, thou has fallen. The grave has vanquished you; that grave which you did not dig; that fate you did not plan. Let the song dry in your throat and let your whistle freeze on your lips. Oh mighty Athens, let me beat my heart in sorrow. Who shall sit and tell us tales of gods and victory? Let me weep for you, beautiful maid that fell before your time. Oh mighty city, call the gods, call your legends. Call Atlas and Zeus to save you now when you are this grey. Call them all that nourished of your breasts and sat at your feet. Oh mighty lord of tales, did you know that this will be your end? Did you ever anticipate that every tale you told would secretly be your own? Let me dab my eyes and cry afresh in the memory of the love of my life. Oh mighty Athena, take one last lingering look, of the widows and orphans you are leaving behind. Oh city of virgins, turn thyself in for the pillagers and plunderers, the robbers and murderers. Come forth to the guillotine, and say your last. Vindicate thyself oh mighty city. You came into this world dressed in splendour and a crown of orchids on your head but you are going out in your mourning clothes, sorrow and agony your only crown, placed upon you by the cruel hand of time. Oh mighty Athens, thou hast fallen.
Thou hast fallen. City of the sun, thou hast turned into ruin, a pile of dust to be scattered in all four corners of the earth. I saw you last night, in the crystal ball in my house. I saw you crashing down from the night sky. I saw you, stripped of your pride and robbed of your grace. I saw your downfall, tower of pride. I saw you fall. Let sorrow become your second name and let grief be the fruit of your loins. Gather the best that still live, to write your dirge and goodbye song. Summon your prophets and soothsayers and watch them beat their chests and tear off their hair. Your children wail with a hunger that cannot be satisfied and the men spend their whole day worrying and hoping. Oh mighty tower of hope; you have now become the chamber of desolation. Forgive us mother, for anchoring our ships in your port. Forgive us, for we got intoxicated with the mangoes in your trees and coconuts in your beaches. Forgive us, for we truly loved the wine you brewed and the beer from your stores. Oh have mercy on us, for we were in love with your women and your great gods. Oh mighty Athena, where shall your mighty ship sail now that you have left your seas desperate and confused? Where shall your cooling breeze blow now that you have devastated the coconut palms and the sweet song of the papyrus? Where shall your men and children run? Where shall they hide among the ruins? They that worshipped at your feet ran and now here you lay, empty, and alone, embracing yourself in eternal solace, oh mighty Athena, thou has fallen. The grave has vanquished you; that grave which you did not dig; that fate you did not plan. Let the song dry in your throat and let your whistle freeze on your lips. Oh mighty Athens, let me beat my heart in sorrow. Who shall sit and tell us tales of gods and victory? Let me weep for you, beautiful maid that fell before your time. Oh mighty city, call the gods, call your legends. Call Atlas and Zeus to save you now when you are this grey. Call them all that nourished of your breasts and sat at your feet. Oh mighty lord of tales, did you know that this will be your end? Did you ever anticipate that every tale you told would secretly be your own? Let me dab my eyes and cry afresh in the memory of the love of my life. Oh mighty Athena, take one last lingering look, of the widows and orphans you are leaving behind. Oh city of virgins, turn thyself in for the pillagers and plunderers, the robbers and murderers. Come forth to the guillotine, and say your last. Vindicate thyself oh mighty city. You came into this world dressed in splendour and a crown of orchids on your head but you are going out in your mourning clothes, sorrow and agony your only crown, placed upon you by the cruel hand of time. Oh mighty Athens, thou hast fallen.
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