Judi Moore
Turkish Beasts from the Aegean
These saw the moon spawned,
saw dinosaurs,
saw humankind creep on to the land,
saw it stand erect
watched it make love, make war.
Great ancient beasts, with scarred pelts
telling the stories of their lives,
they crouch silent, ranged five deep
back from the glittering shore
into the perpetual mist of unmeasurable distance.
They are there through time
mystical, calling down the years,
beast upon beast upon beast.
Above them the Sultan’s diamond,
set with brilliants in gorgeous gold
flashes merciless fire upon
the deep blue velvet of the sea.
saw dinosaurs,
saw humankind creep on to the land,
saw it stand erect
watched it make love, make war.
Great ancient beasts, with scarred pelts
telling the stories of their lives,
they crouch silent, ranged five deep
back from the glittering shore
into the perpetual mist of unmeasurable distance.
They are there through time
mystical, calling down the years,
beast upon beast upon beast.
Above them the Sultan’s diamond,
set with brilliants in gorgeous gold
flashes merciless fire upon
the deep blue velvet of the sea.
Page(s) 31
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