Caesar by Elizabeth Cantonwine Schmidt

“Veni, vidi, vici”

Before him — nothing.

What compass rose?

This country wasn't here.

Now, a new cartography:

apple trees, a population 

of bluebirds, purple irises.

How I love this island

with its silver birches, its river. 

There is not one venomous spider, 

not one thorny path,

no brawling wedding guest,

no gladiator, no guillotine.

Fine. Fine. But it needs something, 

it needs something . . .

Elizabeth Cantonwine Schmidt lives and writes in Dayton Ohio. Her poems have appeared in Mock Turtle Zine and have been featured on WYSO's (Yellow Springs, OH) poetry program, Conrad's Corner.