Cactus on the Acropolis

When I was in Greece many years ago, I was surprised to see cactus growing on the Acropolis.  It is a plant associated with Westerns and cowboys in America, so I began to mix classical Greeks with American cowboy movies in my mind.

                                                     The Cactus on the Acropolis

                                           makes me imagine tumbleweed as well
                                           blowing across the stone orkestra
                                           of the ancient theatre of Dionysus
                                           where Aeschylus and Aristophanes
                                           circle each other and then square off,
                                           six guns slung from tooled leather belts
                                           wrapped round their gleaming white togas.

                                          You know, Kid, character is fate
                                          Aeschylus sneers,
                                          his hands hovering over
                                          his revolvers’ shiny pearl handles.
                                         Cerberus barks in the distance.
                                         Those saloon girl Muses peek out
                                         from behind the marble pillars.
                                        Thetis drags her young son Achilles
                                        by the heel off the street to safety.

                                      Smile when you say that, Butch,
                                      Aristophanes replies
                                      and spits at his opponent’s feet.
                                      The Muses gasp; Thetis clutches
                                      Achilles close to her chest.

                                      The tragedian just stares
                                      at the dark spot in the dust
                                      and then looks his enemy in the eye.
                                      This town ain’t big enough
                                      for the both of us he snarls.

                                       Neither one of them sees
                                       the sniper on the roof.