The Barbed Tongue

look at your own feet, know where you stand you stand at a barbed tongue of an island sea-ty hidden under the sand

the sea ebbs and flows shows the beached remnants of life sea-born moves the people of the land like grains of sand removes the barb of a conquering military mind

indifferent to the border, the political order of things indifferent to barbaric attire, this barbed wire indifferent to past or whoever is passing the sea is indifferent, take a step in

look at your own feet, know where you stand you stand at a barbed tongue of an island sea-ty falling behind

welcome – you too shall pass

pass knowing where you stand at the medieval suburbs of the walled glory the sea-tizens are forced to leave by approaching bombs the homes are fenced off to host the army for decades long

ghost city they say, not knowing the sea-tizens dream on they live elsewhere to return one day they dream on you shall know you stand where they come to dream on dream with them to revive the sea-ty for all of us this time around

take a step out of the sea and sit for a coffee where you sit now used to be a fish tavern the Faliron of Varosi and the ancient port of the Athenian Sea look at your feet when it’s time to walk, walk onwards in the sea-ty

Don Quixote is right ahead on the wall in his solitude awaiting to meet you through the painter’s window of the Blue Bungalow the blue of the sea will look through you too balancing the weight of eternal dreams and memories in a backpack

Nafia Akdeniz