Fallen Figurines

The sidewalk is scattered with upside-down figurines
at the feet of their empty pedestals. As though
some modern Alkibiades went door to door all night
knocking over herms . “Blasphemy!”
they shouted and drove him from Athens.

Who now defends the Republic? Fallen figures
or those who bring them down? Bad luck to break a herm,
but worse to be its slave.

These broken statues may be eggshells—for someone’s omelet
or from something’s hatching? Events aren’t under control
and if a phoenix is to rise, there must be fire. So watch for
smoke above, and broken glass underfoot among the clay shards
of fallen figurines.