WAITING FOR BARBARIANS

'Why are we all waiting in the forum?'

'It’s said the savage hordes will come today

thundering wildly into the city

on their diminutive fiery ponies

looting and raping girls, boys and women.'

'Why don't the senate act?

Why sit dumbly in the silent House

awaiting the inevitable?'

'Because the barbarian horsemen are coming.

What is there for our useless senate to do?

When the vandals arrive they'll take everything over -

everything that's left after the looting.'

'Why did the emperor rise so early

put on his crown

and sit on his gilded throne

inside the city gate?'

'The Destroyers will soon be here.

The emperor wishes to receive them courteously

with an elaborate parchment to hand their warlord

granting him the most grandiloquent titles.'

'Why are these solemn civic dignitaries

unbecomingly shuffling about the forum

in their most costly raiment,

bracelets studded with amethysts

and rings that flash with emeralds?

Why do they carry slender staffs of office

elaborately worked with gold and silver?'

'Because your scruffy rough barbarian

is much impressed by dazzling baubles.'

'Why do not our plausible rhetoricians

join us? They could make impressive speeches.'

'Those grunting savages are like animals

and will not endure their windy lectures.'

'What's happening now?

Everyone looks troubled,

face staring into face, awaiting a signal.

There's movement in the crowd.

The square is emptying.

People seem to be going home.

What a disappointing anticlimax!'

'It's getting dark. Nothing has occured,

no barbarians, no raping and no looting.

There's a rumour going round

that it was all a hoax, a stupid misunderstanding,

a piece of old wives' gossip

and tittle-tattle exaggeration.

One even said the vandals no longer exist,

the savage hordes were years ago disbanded.'

'Without them, this was all purposeless.

The day's excitement has evaporated.

What a let-down now they are not coming!

A chill wind is blowing through the forum

off the empty plain.'