Medusa from Leptis Magna

Medusa – lying on the ground
among the magnificent ruins
of the ancient city
with snake hair
and staring eyes

do you try similarly
to your sisters Gorgons
still scare us
with the appearance and sight
which look turns into a stone?

or rather you are staring at the famous past
of the Greek gods and heroes -
Poseidon, who has seduced you
as a beautiful girl in the temple of Athena
(for what that goddess has turned you into a monster)
or Perseus, who cut off your head with his sword,
that brought your son Pegasus to the world
and than he reached Olympus
in order to after death
be placed on the sky?

or maybe you regret the fate of the kingdoms
which neither were defended by their armies
nor your threatening face
on the Zeus shield?

of the empires which have laid in ruins
creating the foundations for other kingdoms
which gods have turned out to be
more powerful than those worshiped
in the old temples
of the once famous
Roman city
Leptis Magna

                                      2005