Best Carthage Poems
She is the mother place of all humanity.
From her womb was birthed the first man.
The first self aware and inventive beast,
Standing erect, carrying tools of his own invention.
Science tells us that in the beginning....
All men were black of skin, Negroid of features,
With very limited amounts of body hair.
Befitting of the Continent that bore them.
Great civilisations rose and fell on her bosom.
In Egypt, Kush, Ethiopia, Somalia, Ghana,
While cities like Khartoum, Axum and Timbuktu rose,
We pale-skinned peoples were still living in caves.
Remember Stanleyville and Leopoldville and Carthage.
Remember Rhodesia, Zaire and Zimbabwe. Remember.
Tribes, not nations, in Rwanda, Sudan, Chad, at war.
Little peace, if any, protects the innocent and weak.
Still, the peoples are joyful and positive in outlook.
The Fishermen of Eritrea and Capetown, laugh for the fish.
The Masai, since the dawning of time, are cattlemen.
While Ethiopia is home to the oldest continuous Christian church.
Africa is a land no man may conquer but all men desire.
A continent where desert sands or jungles easily swallow,
And digest entire civilisations, leaving only scant traces.
I cannot but love the Continent and its inhabitants.
Santa Monica Pier
I remember watching
the ocean roll on the shore,
wave after wave,
crashing down on the solid sand
and I idly staring back
wondering if the Atlantic was as blue.
I watched him light a candle
and move in the swaying light
from a bygone age.
The flame flickered, so fragile,
it leans and sways in the cold breeze
My burning love is the flame in the lamp
From antiquity--a pre-industrial artifact
An oil lamp of glass from Rome
Bronze from Carthage
A terra-cotta from Athens
He smiles at me
in a flicker of light and
knows all my past like a line from Virgil
A chronicle from Homer
An essay from Milton, a history of Herodotus
And me, ignorant,
knowing nothing of him
can only quote
from Ovid,
Beowulf,
Caedmon and Gilgamesh.
The flame descends,
From the nape of the lit candle,
and we are lying in darkness on a spring night.
Everything in history is forgotten
and yesterdays are not so many
as night descends,
the lit moon cast in the glow
of the lamplight of our love.
RED SUN DAWNING OVER THE NEW EMPIRE
The dawning sun raises bloody red
Over the traffic clogged streets
And noxious polluted air
Of the capital of Imperial America
The sun with its bloody red glare
Reminds me of all the people who died
This last year in Emperor's Bush's Three Wars
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
And will remake the world in our image
In the so-called war against Evil
The invasion and occupation
Of foreign lands
Because our leaders say
They might, someday be a threat
And the old words of ancient Rome
Comes to mind
Carthage must die
Baghdad must be destroyed
The heart of the evil empire
Must be invaded
And the evil of Saddam must be expunged
So our great and glorious leaders
Proudly proclaim
Every day every moment
On the conservative media
Now owned, operated and controlled
By the powers that have taken over
The shadow government that runs
The New American Empire
And soon the entire world
Will be under its sway
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
And will remake the world in our image
We still have some freedom left
Some space to rant and rave
And grumble
But soon, oh so soon
This paper and that paper
And this internet site and that site
And this TV station and that TV Station
Will be shut down
In the name of national security
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
Good listener, please lend your ear
To share my history
Before I take the poison drink,
I’ll tell you my story.
They’re coming even now to take
The city that we love
And hope is often lost and so
My tale i’ll tell you of.
When Carthage took upon itself
To find by light of day
A general? Well your in luck!
Great Hannibal did say.
He planned to cross the mountains great
Twas thought the only way,
But first to cross the river Rhone,
Great Hannibal did pray
The river Rhone rose up and warned
Don’t cross my waters grey!
No way to cross? Then all was lost
Great Hannibal did say
Then at once stood Hannibal
We’ll cross by th’end of day!? Take down those trees to make a raft
Great Hannibal did say
Over the water blue they went
Lined up in an array
And now to Rome and battle great!
Good Hannibal did say.
Due north he found an obstacle
That willed him to give way,
The northern tribes with battle cries
Great Hannibal did slay.
The biggest problem now was here
Across the mountains stray
“Great danger now we face, my men,”
Great Hannibal did say.
Across the mountains none did think
That they would last a day
Just one more hill or mountain top,
Great Hannibal would say
The crew were weary lost and torn
That made them curse the day
“But we are almost there, you see?”
Great Hannibal did say.
And soon enough the walls of Rome
Rose up as if to say
Who ventures here with war in mind?
Come greet us at our gates!
But in the Roman city there
Scipio here to stay
“No one can beat us, no one can,”
Great Hannibal did say.
At Rome’s great gates for 15 years
He waited patiently
We can’t stay here, for food is dear,
Great Hannibal did say.
So he turned back to Carthage’s gates
But met along the way
Scipio and his army great
Hannibal could not slay
When all was done his quest was lost,
And Rome would live too great,
A treaty signed so punishing
That Carthage lost its gate.
And Hannibal the general
That lost the city too
Was forced to go to lands beyond
And help as best he could.
any superstitious peasants
out there tonight
TV junkies gossipy groupies
smooth talking saxophonists
am I talking too fast
for couple's therapy
uh oh here comes
another scar on my head
the optimist would say
the scar of opportunity
fortunately digression is an art
that never plays for keeps
you don't want to become
the unwitting tool
of smarter people do you
you do
it's your worst nightmare
instead let's play museum
you have eye
you have other eye
you will however need an augury
let's step onto the showroom floor
where we have our latest models
Bill the mechanic seer
could tell your fate
from a pile of tossed grease rags
he was right almost every time
he even told 3 circus anteaters
they would run for President
and they did
Edwina the cleaning lady sibyl
could swing a vacuum bag
round her head and tell from the
dust cloud if you were gonna die
from gall bladder or aphrodisiac
Zaza the 1 trick pony
could hoof the innards of a road kill
and you'd find love
an astronomer named Ziggy
told our planet that a big rock
was coming from the sky like a freight train
that's why I'm appearing before you
in this ethereal minimum medium
you'll have to forgive me
if I show a lack of enthusiasm
for this dangerous matter
I may have fallen captive to the tow
of the clandestine echelons
working their hands like bug legs
in a sign language
that horrifies the deaf
I've scanned this
for alien message implants
you won't need a map of area 51
just a chicken wire cage
which is always as refreshing as
another lash of the cane
take permission out behind the toadstools
and put a bullet up its shirt
they just hand me the script
and I broadcast what I'm told
radio free Carthage
From "Engine of Didactic Beauty" available on Amazon
Artist Portfolio: http://walteralter.site11.com/
From ship we see the foreign shore
The lookout’s first to sight
The Carthaginians have no clue
Of coming Roman might
The expedition’s full of men
Our forces proud and grand
We come to conquer Africa
This hot and humid land
We hit the coast, a stranger comes
An old and shriveled man
His voice is raspy like a blade
His skin is dark and tan
He squint’s round at my armored troops
His eyes take in the ships
He queries as to my own past
And other Roman trips
I answer “I am Scipio
The Roman general
I conquered all Iberia
These men are at my call”
“Arriving from Hispania
We conquered all the tribes
The Carthaginian rebels too
Our feats I shan’t describe”
“More recently we gained allies
That may help us again
They are the best riders around
Numidian horsemen”
“But soon we must prepare to march
To meet the Carthage foe
Through sand, and fields, and mountains too
Whichever wind may blow”
“The expedition’s ready now
Our forces proud and grand
We’ve come to conquer Africa
This hot and humid land”
As we set off, the tension mounts
Our blades are sharp and keen
The banners fly, the troops are set
Our enemies will scream
We crest the hill and see the man
The famous Hannibal
Crying orders, gath’ring troops
We’ll crush this animal.
Zamá’s the place, as morning dawns
The elephants attack
The battle’s fought, the men are caught
In arrows, screams, and rain
The expedition’s weary now
Our eyes are full of sand
We’ve come, we’ve conquered Africa
This ancient, bloody land
Cartilage Cartridge Carthage
Spread my skin around your city limits
And sow these Dragon Teeth to reap my heart
Apple red lace, apple sweet lips, apple techie, apple allergy
Let's play Adam and Eve and make faces at the devil, because we own this Tree
My fingers plow the earth and pluck your laughter off of autumn branches made of purple ties and navy sweatpants,
water the butterfly's palm with these kisses and tether the sun to the pier so you can light up the day and night at
once.
Where I might somewhere be speaking birds out of my mouth, I'd much rather here have this butterfly land on my
lips and silence my.
it may be the other side that vanishes
first.
standing in the back yard smoking a
cigerrette.
a car passes by first the engine then the
lights.
the faint hum of deisel and carbon are
left.
so i exhale once more.
maybe I have a handful of memories.
maybe the clouds are passing overhead.
i remember all those early fall days
the leaves having brought themselves
down to their knees.
what comes next the hip or thigh,
possibly the wrist?
delicate the touch and soft the shiver of
winters joints.
that leaky fossil that sheds
half its sinews continually passing above.
such a beautiful arched ceiling,
with heavy rain soaked lungs.
now i am as a cistern in carthage
kept in remembrance by very cold ancient
stones overhead.
i cannot speak by i may listen.
it is the vapor as i exhale that
dissapears last.
My cerebral stability is not a sure thing.
I can see myself running naked down an airport runway.
I can hear myself shrieking through padded walls.
For so many people psychological security comes naturally.
These people make eye contact without fear of vanishing.
They sip tea from a glass and don't consider seppuku.
I look at Mona Lisa and I wonder what her game is.
I sulk in the corner and pretend I’m not invisible.
My silhouette is more honest than I will ever be.
My psyche is a seed buried beneath the soil of Carthage.
Its battle is up a hill with pits to fall in along the way.
There's something to be said for having to fight for your sanity.
Epitaph, my ebook:
http://www.amazon.com/Epitaph-ebook/dp/B00CCFQ9XS/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2_TBDR
After: "Letter of Mithridates to Phraates, King of Parthia"
Historiae VI by Sallust
*****************************
I am a man more poisoned against than poisoning.
That’s my version anyhow, and I’m sticking to it.
Don’t blame me for having survived a few meals
Which others, less fortunate, could not.
All that doesn’t help me now with Pompey at my throat.
Pompey, plunderer and bully, who has enough wit
Only to command a Materialschlacht,
But that is child’s play with Rome’s support.
Rome! Scourge of cities, tribes, peoples, nations, all mankind,
Were not the Pillars of Hercules, the western shores
Sufficient for your ravenous appetite
That your eagle eyes scan my realm?
O Phraates, King of Parthia still unvanquished,
Had you but lent your ear to me when together we
Might have rid the East of this ill-begotten son
Of Mars. Small the credit, so great the loss!
For Rome, unchallenged, bestrides the Great Sea. Eastwards
He surveys my mountains and your rivers, groves and plains,
No doubt beyond. Remember Alexander,
Who sacked glorious Persepolis.
You vainly sue for peace, like credulous Philipp once
When fondly strung along with Rome’s promises of “pax”.
And what of Carthage? Where now her wealth of gold
And purple? Barren her poisoned lands!
Mind you, I’m not well-placed on a high moral pedestal
When it comes to poisoning, but limits I respect.
A few enemies now and then, I admit,
Died at my table. The ham was off!
But the earth is sacrosanct. I never salted fields,
For Rome’s venom is stronger than aught I ever brewed.
Where shall this end? Shall Rome vanquish all nations?
Shall all cower to his bloody sword?
But Rome! With surfeiting the eaten, not the eater,
Prevails. The whole world is, even for iron digestions,
Strong meat. It is the sun, not Romulus, whom
East and West obey. Helios rules.
With Rome to east and Rome to west, then two Romes are there,
And I do fear for man and earth. The approach of death
Lends men insight. I fought, I won, I lost in war.
My spirit is still king. Sirs, your health.
The last round! Like Carthage we lose to Rome the third round.
Once more is the Gordian knot in twain. Quirites,
The gods look down. Remember Alexander,
Who died of fever in Babylon!
PUNICA GRANATUM
Yes, in Paradise, Adam and Eve ate pomegranate
No, to apple-etymology - No, to The French "Grenade"
No, more or less 613 seeds (sorry Pharisees and thy 613 Law)
Yes, Malum Granatum, no origin in Carthage, Latin Rome's flaw
(c)Deo, Pomegranates are mentioned in the 4,000 year-old system of healing, AYURVEDA.
Some of us are built
For harsh conditions
Suffrage held
Within a wicked vision
Reprimanded as a man
How can your father reprimand this hand
Discipline disciples
in a cycle that would not turn in sand
Held in Carthage
A piece of a Martian
Some say I’m soon to be departing
Pieces of gold in a bronze room
Shining through chivalry and doom
Sterile silvery praising a ring for the groom
All prized possessions of doubt now loom
Pushing the broom
On a straw bed
Don’t u love this coon
You can be kind to the cruelest person
And at the end of the day
They’re still cruel and worsened
This worlds got to end
No sanctuary circles my morbid realms
I’m away from peace
And aware that it will never cease
Only time can stop me now
Wishes sealed over a candle in a darkened hall
Head down I just might die on this wall
In this race I’ll survive somehow
Only time can stop me now
I’m so scared
Where are your prayers
I was so scared
Why weren’t you there
I’m so scared
should I have been spared
PUNICA GRANATUM
So you had a bad day?
Think Pomegranate; the inside universe ...
that inspired grenades, etymology, history, Jewish numerical blunders ... Roman blunders into Carthage again.
Jewish Numerical Blunders as in estimating each Pomegranate has 613 seeds, matching the laws or rules of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were religious, followers of Moses, they said: but Jesus was their enemy because He said "Law cannot save us but Grace of God alone can." Pharisees are in every religion: they love RELIGION not God. Each pomegranate has from 375 to over 1000 seeds (not 613 Pharisaical rules to be religious, like avoiding "work" on Sabbaths, including HEALING that Jesus did on Saturdays!!)
Can humans make wrapping tissue as fine as membranes covering and protecting these diamond-shaped ruby seeds? What joy to taste their vitality and nutrients. Thank Nature and Nature's God. amen, shalom-shalom.
Yes, in Paradise, Adam and Eve ate pomegranate
No, to apple-etymology - No, to The French "Grenade"
No, more or less 613 seeds (sorry Pharisees and thy 613 Law)
Yes, Malum Granatum, no origin in Carthage, Latin Rome's flaw
(c)Deo, Pomegranates are mentioned in the 4,000 year-old system of healing, AYURVEDA.
as i sit and vegitate
watching our minds disenigrate
we pretend we are there,while we are not
slowly watching each other rot
as we look to reality
we turn around what do we see
if satan ever takes his toll
we shall blow him away, with our rock and roll
Praise to Aeneis ( Elyesa )
It was a power without measure, very humble!
She had fallen into the Lot lake.
Dried salts with the speed of the wind.
A sharp Carthage.
He was naked with the whole world.
Gas overlapped,separated by colors!
He was looking at Zion!
It's been years of time.
The new world has dried up!
The salt dispersed by my exit is a sharp Carthage.
I came..Troia..He waited..
Noble warriors..Hey ..Carthage ..
Italy..Italy I cried out to the enemy!
Miles away, Carthage trembled.
Troia had passed a long way with one step!
A cloud of dust covered it..Hey .. Carthage ..
Johannes Çiçek