The tower

A contemplative journey unfolds as a weary narrator wrestles with the passage of time, the weight of memory, and the restless stir of imagination. Drawing on mythic allusions—from the glittering streets of Byzantium to the blind bard of Homer—the poet weaves vivid images of ruins, ancient trees, and fleeting celebrations, inviting listeners to linger on the border between reality and reverie. The opening verses pulse with a yearning to transform the frailty of an aging body into something timeless, echoing the desire to be sculpted in gold and song.

The second part shifts to a solitary watch on a tower’s battlements, where the speaker interrogates the absurdities of life and the lingering echoes of forgotten folk songs. Through lush, fragmented scenes of countryside fairs, stubborn farmers, and a blind minstrel’s lament, the poem explores how art, memory, and the natural world intertwine to shape our sense of self. Listeners are drawn into a lyrical meditation that balances melancholy with a quiet, stubborn hope.