13. Poem: Capital City

1af: Martin Locock, Gwaun Cae Gurwen

A bustling conurbation
Driving ever forwards
Grows heavily indebted

Just know, lest malcontents nurture
Other people's qualms:
Residents seldom top up
Visitors' wages

Xenophobia yields zilch

2il: Leonard Shurey, Caerffili

Fort on the Taff
No bastion n now
An edifice of ancient Rome
Sleeps in the dust
A thousand years elapsed,
As in a trice
And where it stood
Walls now became proud Norman wood
Add a millennium
And for a price
The grand Victorian gent
Did build of stony splendour
Ere his way he went

Heart of a land
Not featured at its core
Artery of an empire
That exists no more

Home of diverse races
That landed on our shore
Enriching local lifestyle
I music, sport and more

Centre of culture
For many a gifted Celt
Pangs of a “hiraeth”
Very keenly felt

Spreading out amoeba-like
Toward the Northern vales
A vain attempt at reaching
Every door in Wales

There seems a norm for worldly state
To split in South and North
Bipolar forces fighting
For all there is of worth

Assembly, seat of government
Like newborn lamb's demise
The crows that watch aloft
Await to peck its eyes

Place of learning
For every sort of art
Impulse to trade
For restaurant, inn and mart

Parks for rest by lake and sea
Stadia for games or sport
International renown
Museum, gallery and court

As though your blessed portals
The aimless masses stream
Let them imbibe your vibrance
The genial Celtic dream

3ydd: Lynda Ganatsiou, Groeg

Oblivious to their surroundings,
city dwellers forever on the go.
They never stop or even rest:
Industrious mortals shifting to and fro.

Underground commuters speed by;
the earth trembles: a roaring deafening sound.
Low flying aircraft kiss the roofs;
the hustle bustle of cars on the ground.

Enveloped in blankets of smog,
stand ancient buildings with an unknown fate.
Cancerous pollution corrodes:
They have to be saved before it's too late.

Reminiscences of the past,
emerging like divine beauties, so rare.
Tourists flock to admire them -
as soon perchance, they'll no longer be there.

For all its filth and griminess:
an archaeologist's sight to behold,
with scores of disadvantages.
Nonetheless, it's well worth its weight in gold.

Buildings of bricks, structures of stones;
it could be called a cementopolis.
But there, amongst the confusion:
the crowning glory – The Acropolis.

Greek capital - the southern gem:
Although denuded of its greenery,
may boast, as nothing surpasses,
its broad culture and ancient scenery.

Our predecessors built this place;
to escape there, gives one so much pleasure.
Its seams bursting with history:
A heritage we must duly treasure.

An ancient city filled with myths.
There is really nothing that can compare.
Famous philosophers would tread:
Both Socrates and Plato once lived there.

Invaders and dictators ruled,
but the goddess of war deserves the fame.
Athena, it is said was brave:
From her, the capital derives its name.

Capital city of Athens.
The jewel of the Mediterranean,
Founder of the Olympic Games:
Mother of western civilization.