The queen and the insect

Response to Vounaros by Melina Sofokleous 

@Pavlos Vrionides

Dear queen,

In the middle of the labyrinth, I found you, eating on your throne. I’m just an insect; I try to fly around you to catch your attention, until you look at me, and your eyes become bigger and bigger, and then I ask permission to sit on your nose. You said yes, but with the condition that I would never leave you. But then I will never see my family again, my roots, where I belong, I said. Then, I’m going to come with you, you said.  

Finally, 

you have transformed into who you really are. 

Sit on your throne and observe what is around you. This place belongs to you. You are the queen of the mountain! 

Eat whatever you want, do whatever you want, be wild, be rude, be weak, be fake… doesn’t matter at all. 

You deserve it. You have conquered. You have fought with a lot of versions of yourself. You make it. You are the queen of the mountain!

You have proved your strength.

You are here, there, everywhere.

I will sit forever on your nose, my dear queen.

I will never leave you. You will never leave me.

That’s what history says. But I’m just an insect.

Yours,

Judith