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Poetry
by Chris Zachariou
United Kingdom


Τάκης Ζαχαρίου

Ποιήματα

Γιαλούσα, Κύπρος

Writer's pictureChris Zachariou

The Poet's Betrayal | A Coming-of-Age Poem


I trekked this path before

the scent is too familiar—

it is the scent of tarnished oaths.


The rusty ring she wears

pollutes the water in the well

and the poplars in her street

whisper in a foreign tongue.


The aspiring would-be poet

hides in a spider's silver web

with a blushing unicorn she has held to ransom since

the day she became a woman.


Her universe was once

a green reflection until a songsmith

dropped a pebble in the well

and her Camelot existence rippled into nothing.


In a montage of unrestrained pleasures

they watch a cherry red chameleon

crawling on the hard breasts of the moon

and masturbate to the rhythm

of an old song she now claims her own. A wistful minstrel, drowning in a vortex

of green light

recites to her poems of deviant pleasures


"don't ever close your eyes, darling"


but the foolish girl imagines

the unicorn is now her new lover

yet she knows she only felt alive when she raged at the troubadour from beyond the seething lake.


Part of the mosaics cycle of poems


A few words about the poem…


The Poet's Betrayal | A Surreal Symphony of Self-Discovery | A Coming-of-Age Poem

In the intricate tapestry of surrealist and poetic expression, "The Poet's Betrayal" unfolds as a mesmerizing symphony, each verse resonating with the delicate cadence of broken promises and the transformative crescendo of desires. This coming-of-age poem, an odyssey through surrealist landscapes, invites readers into the profound labyrinth of self-discovery.


Embarking on this poetic journey, the narrator older poet retraces a well-trodden path, where the scent of ancient oaths hangs heavy in the air. It is a fragrance that speaks of a journey seasoned by time, where the once-familiar becomes tinged with the poignant hues of betrayal. A rusty ring, donned by the young poetess leaves its imprint not only on her finger but also on the pristine waters of the well—a metaphor for the purity of a memory now tainted.


As the narrative unfolds, the poplars lining her street become silent witnesses, their whispers forming an enigmatic language that mirrors her internal conflicts. These arboreal sentinels stand as metaphors for societal expectations, foreign and incomprehensible, imposing a discordant reality upon her aspirations. Finally, they come to symbolize the young poetess’ ultimate betrayal of her older poet lover.


At the core of this surreal odyssey, the aspiring young girl weaves herself into a silken cocoon alongside a blushing unicorn, a captive companion since the inception of her womanhood. This union symbolizes both innocence and restraint, a dance between longing for freedom and the comfort found in captivity. Here, the poetess grapples with the dichotomy of self-expression and societal expectations, each step a profound exploration of identity.


Her once-glistening universe undergoes a transformative disruption, echoing the legendary fall of Camelot, a place of blissful existence. In their story, the poet in the guise of a mysterious troubadour and an agent of change, drops a pebble into the well of her familiar roots, sending ripples that dissolve the sanctuary of her Camelot into nothingness. This symbolic unravelling marks the departure from stability, thrusting the poetess into the tumultuous waters of chaos.


In a montage of unrestrained pleasures, the poetess and her unicorn companion bear witness to a surreal spectacle—a cherry-red chameleon navigating the moon's unyielding bosom. Against the rhythmic backdrop of an ancient melody, of which the poetess claims authorship, intertwining her narrative with the cosmic dance of desire and symbolism, this tableau becomes a reflection of her internal landscape, a mirror held up to the complexities of her evolving consciousness.


The poet, now disguised as a wistful minstrel, emerges from the green light of lunar revelation, reciting to her poems of uninhibited pleasures. The incantation, "don't ever close your eyes, darling," serves as both a plea and a subtle hint, encapsulating the precarious nature of the poetess’ newfound awareness. It invites readers to consider the blurred boundaries between reality and imagination, desire, and restraint.


Yet, the naive girl within the poetess envisions the unicorn as her new lover, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy once more. In this distorted perception, she acknowledges the vitality pulsating within her when confronting the troubadour, a symbolic force looming beyond the seething lake. Eventually she accepts that the two are bound together by the thread of a poetry existence but she also realizes that she will one day betray him for a newer lover.


"The Poet's Betrayal” orchestrates a rich, multi-layered narrative. The narrator as the protagonist poet, through vivid imagery and the subtle interplay of symbols, invites readers into the kaleidoscopic realm of human experience. Each verse serves as a brushstroke in the canvas of self-discovery, painting a profound exploration of transformation, desire, and the inevitable discord that disrupts idyllic realms. As readers delve deeper into the poem's intricate melodies, they find themselves entangled in the enigmatic journey of the two poets, a journey that mirrors the universal quest for understanding and meaning.

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