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Poetry
by Chris Zachariou
United Kingdom


Τάκης Ζαχαρίου

Ποιήματα

Γιαλούσα, Κύπρος

Writer's pictureChris Zachariou

Ophelia Lost | Cyprus Poems


Her white memory—

the young forest

the scent of apple blossom

the taste of sunrise.

In a frenzy of swirling passion

we buried our fledgling sainthood

deep in the walls of the pious chapel

and together we fled to the safety of the lilac sea.

Ophelia is so beautiful

swimming in the murmurs of the morning

and in the red and purple sighs of sunset. She has the blood moon in her hair

and her dress and all her ribbons

are nailed to the hardwood of the mast.

Standing at the helm

with the taste of brine on her lips

and her pristine white collar

abandoned in the freedom of the sails

she steers her yellow boat

to the porcelain altar of her newborn day.

Ophelia is now lost to me darkening in the blurred horizon

an off-key song across her shoulders and a grieving swallow at her side.


Part of the cycle of poems thirteen silk verses


A few words about the poem…


Echoes of an Elegy: A Tragic Death - Cyprus Poems

In "Ophelia Lost", the poet orchestrates a symphony of imagery and emotions, echoing the themes of death and grief that have been woven through the series "Thirteen Silk Verses" of the collection Cyprus Poems. The use of the name "Ophelia" is not coincidental, as it conjures the tragic fate of Shakespeare's poetic heroine. In this series, where young lives are cut short, Eurydice and Giulietta have also met their untimely ends, all contributing to the collective impact.


The poem opens with a nostalgic recollection of lost memories, symbolized by the "white memory" of the young forest, apple blossoms, and sunrise. These images paint a canvas of innocence and beauty, starkly contrasted by the turmoil that follows. The poet employs the motif of burial to represent the concealment of their "fledgling sainthood" within the walls of the chapel, a choice that parallels the veiled fates of the other young heroines in the series.


The transition to the "lilac sea" symbolizes escape from societal norms and the pursuit of freedom. Ophelia, a spectral figure who exists between worlds, embodies the ephemeral nature of existence. The portrayal of her beauty and her connection to nature accentuates her ethereal presence, while the "blood moon in her hair" adds an enigmatic touch, hinting at both passion and the inevitability of her fate.


The image of Ophelia at the helm, steering their yellow—a purposeful choice of colour—boat, resonates with echoes of her Shakespearean counterpart's watery demise. The choice to have her dress and ribbons "nailed to the hardwood of the mast" and her pristine white collar abandoned to the "freedom of the sails" are visual metaphors for the departure of the two young lovers from the constraints of life and society.


The poem ties Ophelia's story to those of Eurydice and Giulietta, creating a triptych of young lives extinguished prematurely. By evoking these characters' names, the poet invites readers to explore the shared themes of tragic youth across different narratives and cultural contexts. In "Ophelia Lost," as in the entire series, the poet crafts an emotional tapestry that invites readers to contemplate the fragility and transience of life through the lens of these poetic heroines' journeys.

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