Saragossa Sonnet
There is a place in the
mid-Atlantic an island made of sea tare
mid-Atlantic an island made of sea tare
and the mist never lifts sea and
storm avoid this island
storm avoid this island
that in the middle has a pyre that
must be kept alive and old men
must be kept alive and old men
sit cross-legged around the pyre
and feed it dry bones
and feed it dry bones
of sailors who have sought shelter
but end up having their throats slit
but end up having their throats slit
hung up like stock-fish to dry on
the eastern side of the island.
the eastern side of the island.
They never talk about this but it
is well known that a salted thigh
is well known that a salted thigh
bone lasts a week and is delicious
with boiled sea-tare.
with boiled sea-tare.
You can`t see the people who live
there clearly they are sons
there clearly they are sons
of mist and fog an unholy alliance
sex without pleasure, but they
sex without pleasure, but they
must go on the pyre must be fed, if
not the sun will break through
not the sun will break through
and they and their home will
disappear as it never existed
disappear as it never existed
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