Poetry |

“Gilgamesh” and “Midas”

Gilgamesh

 

say were given the right

to other bodies and minds

no choice but to take it

take them

 

challenged

and confronted

pivoted like a pro

looked into self

 

more of the old followed

with a new rationale

drowning out the words

the screams

 

went on a rampage

packaged as a quest

the life and death of others

resource and fame

 

enlightened

and upgraded

assumed previous place

under a fresh flag

 

story shared all over

existence justified

who could say no

to everlasting glory

 

 

*     *     *     *     *

 

 

Midas

 

Wish for the shiny things

you see everywhere

everyone else is using

that make everything nicer

 

for the fun

you always wanted to have

wanted to try

to enjoy

 

the fibres

of muscle tissues

of other sentient beings

to satiate your senses

 

the opportunities

to make the most

for the least

in the shortest

 

the status

you feel you are owed

with all that makes it clear

to those around and below

 

Or

wish for your genes

to have a world

left to replicate in

 

Contributor
Dawid Juraszek

Dawid Juraszek is a bilingual author and educator based in China and an external PhD candidate at Maastricht University working on cognitive ecocriticism. A published novelist in his native Poland, his poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have appeared in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and Canada. His The Anthropocene for Beginners is out now with Biblioteka Liberté and his collection Medea and Other Poems of the Anthropocene is forthcoming with Kelsay Books.

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