A Fine Metaphor

Written
2009

 The carousel was there in

         the Byzantine Empire.

Dated bas-relief tells us

         it was early 500 AD.

Not mentioned or lost in time

         is the name of the inventor,

         who lived in a city that

         changes names often,

         and yet remains the same.

He surely was a poet,

         for he invented

         a timeless metaphor.

You can mount his Lion

         and feel brave.

Or take a ride on the Bear

         and feel strong.

If it is fleet you seek,

         ride Striped Zebra.

Stand tall and hold

         the giraffe's neck.

The mighty steed

         prepares you for battle.

The tortoise or the hare

         it matters not,

         for they always tie

         and never win.

Black Beauty beckons

         as parade leader

         but is always

         in the middle

         of the pack.

Choose and mount.

Routinely up and down

         and once again.

Predictably round and around

         and once again.

Repeated happy music sounds,

         over and over again.

Neither the speed nor strength

         of your mount matters.

You beat no one.

You are where you started.

Once again, round and round,

         up and down

         all to happy music.

This is where we bring

         our children so

         they can go to where they were.

As usual, round and round,

         up and down.

Byzantium became Constantinople.

Constantinople became Istanbul.

The poet dies and ages pass.

But still the carousel reminds us still

         of our lives.

Habituated round and round,

         up and down

         until the happy music stops.

 

Doug Minnis

August 17,2009

 

 

 

Notes
I went to Berkeley to get a photo of the campanile at UC Berkeley, my beloved campus,but the fog prevented this.So up to Tilden park. Nothing can dim my happiness when I am in b Berkeley. The merry -go- round was full of birthday party children. It dawned on me to me that we were socializing children for life. A metaphor for all to see each day.