The Kings of Grecia

Grecia, your world is built through riches'
Prosperity, and your covetous kings
Say, "Let only the merchant who lives
"Be with ninety billion drachma."
You seethe with hatred toward Israel
For it is a prosperous little land.
There it is, with cream and sugar
Oil and spice, meat and fruit.
And you say, "Look how fat this people is;
"They are worth nothing,
"For they consume my sustenance."
So said the King of Grecia
Even covetous of his subjects' fine instruments.
"Do not play, do not play! By royal decree!"
Thus, the musician is regulated to go to her designated
Place, to sing her heart's songs.
Beautiful she is, but the King of Grecia
Does not care about her fine beauty,
For a thousand like he has deflowered.
The fatness of the peasant is an offense to Grecia.
Thus, he wishes to steal our sustenance,
And make music to cease from the land.
Lo! He even says, "We have no need for music
"We have no need for art, we have no need for theater;
"Nothing beautiful excites me, no, not even a warm body
"Or vulva for my flower, not even the great Laments of Shakespeare
"Or the wisdom of Dostoevsky. Not the beauty of Mozart
"Not the voluptuous body of Venus without her arms.
"Nothing is beautiful, nothing is good. I have never loved
"For what is love? I hate my world, and wish it to fall into the abyss."
For his covetousness is severe, that he has no desire;
Nothing for which he wishes or wants.
Not even death. Not even life. Not even purgatory.
He wants nothing, for anything in his grasp he already has.
Thus, he wishes to cause this same frustration on those,
Whom seeing their desire, and their zeal for life---
He wishes it all to stop.