| This Edition's Poetry |
20 YEARS
Another frantic Friday at Kosta’s Mad Greek Taverna
There’s all you can eat Souvlaki, Bouzouki and Tsifteteli entertainers
Hear and smell the freshly minted Euros
The soused audience chant “opa opa!” through the smoke clouds
Jimmy negotiates his shiny tap shoes through the crushed rose petals
His cigarette laced voice takes you back to more precarious times
The little six- string in harmony with the lessons he’s learned
He banters with the crowd and throws in the odd uplifting number
His ancient struggles are irrelevant as long as the Ouzo is flowing
As long as there is bread, feta and filtered Marlboros
Spartans can rejoice
City-states can rest easy at night in his democratic ways
Eleni the belly dancer contorts he tight body
An amorous patron waives his hanky
As she slides between his legs
Her navel signs a check he cannot cash in front of his jealous wife
At quarter to one the dance floor is a free for all
Men snap their fingers and the women form a line
The blue and white linen cutlery napkins are now flags
Symbols for the dance of liberation
Kiki the old lady dressed in widow-maker black
“Let’s go Yanni, my watch say 3”
“Tomorrow I busy day with father”
The handsome man reminds her “dad’s been gone 20 years”
Jovial Kosta takes the mike
“We have a fun tonight “
He asks and comments in the same breath
And he kisses the widow and asks “Kiki why you a wait 20 years”
She’s conquered her ancient history as long as she’s remembered
As long as there is Metaxa and Greek Village Salad
Plato can rejoice
The Republic can rest easy in her philosophy and spirit?
by John Tzikas
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