the god forsakes antony



when suddenly, at midnight, you hear

an invisible procession going by

with exquisite music, voices,

don’t mourn your luck that’s failing now,

work gone wrong, your plans

all proving deceptive - don’t mourn them uselessly.

as one long prepared, and graced with courage,

say goodbye to her, the alexandria that is leaving.

above all, don’t fool yourself, don’t say

it was a dream, your ears deceived you:

don’t degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.

as one long prepared, and graced with courage,

as is right for you who were given this kind of city,

go firmly to the window

and listen with deep emotion, but not

with the whining, the pleas of a coward;

listen - your final delectation - to the voices,

to the exquisite music of that strange procession,

and say goodbye to her, to the alexandria you are losing.




constantine p. cavafy (1911)