Like the queen of Byzantium

Love is a breach in the walls, a broken gate,

Rupert Brookes


I used to read of the siege of Constantinople

But did I compare it to love

Well no

But the sultan did

Drop a massive iron chain

Across the narrow neck of the Bosphorus

And dragged it so no ships

Could pass


And later, some greedy greek official may

Have opened a forgotten door

In the ancient walls by what is now fatiye

Enough to slip a spy through-

Poison the water 

Or 


Later, the sultan fired bombardments 

And bombardments of great cannon

Which staggered back after each volley

The stones splintering like teeth  

Old city quaking


And maybe people

All across this grand sickbed of a  city

Of our love are waiting. Future  defenses

To be breached and the bricks

Painted in blood or gold


And maybe we are tired

As sad faced businessmen

At the ending of a  millennia old empire

A woman can be only so much

A creation in a  dress made  from peace time years

If bureaucracy was

A paper flower 


And maybe

We do not know greek

And maybe

Our love is cannon smithereening wall

And maybe a love

Is the insects moving between the bricks

And maybe a soldier's greatest hate

Is waiting 

And maybe yes, this city will fall 


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