Promise
I know it well, he said
no one will come
to meet me at the station where
loneliness says goodbye
I know it well
for the words I spoke
bounced hopelessly off their ears
innocence of the old days turned
into today’s consumerism
and I grew too soft to lie
so I’ll carry my leaper’s body
over roads and slow moving paths
hollow husk of corn
windblown onto the sidewalk
where tearless Hades lurks
I know it well, he said
joyously for the end I long
in this narrow grieving street
though before I leave
to you, my friends, I promise
the same song to repeat
next time around
Manolis Aligizakis 