Zeitgeistlyrik: The Dancer & the Poet (Satis Shroff)

THE DANCER AND THE POET (Satis Shroff)

There she is a blonde Flamenco dancer,

From a family that was long dysfunctional.                                                  

The poet said: ‘Dance, my dear to the rhythm

Of the guitar and my lyrics.’

She pushes her feet to perform the fiery rhythms,

She dances in a trance,

Like a shaman in a séance.

By working them out

Till she’s exhausted after each dance.

He seduces her and insults her,

Then pushes her away.

He’s her lover, hater and seducer,

All in one.

He appears to her like a scarlet devil at times,

At other times, he’s a cavalier,

A gigolo who seduces also other women.

* * *

Her praises her in his verses,

Gives her red roses and kisses.

She’s in seventh Heaven,

Stunned by bolts of ecstatic lyrics.

Suddenly he lets her fall down.

Then he plays with her again.

Bodies twined they dance with each other,

Make love and melt into one.

Synchronised ravishing movements.

A passionate fire flares up as the two bodies meet

Only to go asunder.

* * *

This makes her doubt;

Melancholy creeps into her heart.

The temperament caused by the poet’s lyrics

Stimulate and subside.

There’s wild ravishment and sadness in the air.

She thinks: ‘When we came together

It was like a blitz,

That touched my heart.

You brought me fire like Prometheus,

Kindled it within me.

Ah, love when we’re together

We come out of our shells

And enter each other.’

* * *

Our love is like a flower with feelings

It needs to be cared for,

It needs the sun so that the perfume

Can unfold itself.

Your hatred is a contagious fire,

Like darkness which douses the fire within me.

I feel the ecstasy and love dying.

Alas, the magic of amour has disappeared;

Leaving behind only a faint hope.

* * *

I gave you my love,

You gave me your poesie,

Written in love’s flaming script.

You gave me light but also darkness.

Your kiss stirred my soul;

My heart began to sing

Your body promised me secrets and delicious hours

I’d never known.

During the day I walked

Like in a dream with opiate senses.

* * *

Cold and malignant hatred is all I feel,

It has been devouring me.

Your love is a sad, destructive poem,

Your countenance is a mask,

And behind it another mask.

A puzzle to me,

Almost a secret.

An unbearable and cruel love,

 I cannot fathom.

Scorn, fear and hatred remain.

I creep around broken with tears.

* * *

‘I crouched below your window

Till your new lover stealthily went away.

I howled to the skies in vain.

How could such an immortal love pass away?

The vicissitudes of our relationship led me to a decision:

I saw the Mephisto unveiled in you,

I have no desire to follow you to Hell.

Adieu, my veiled friend and tormentor.

(c)satisshroff,2017, all rights reserved