Richard St. John: Death of the Tragedians

Egyptian Friend’s Email (2025)

For twelve months now, I’ve lived as your dual citizen —
Egyptian (exiled under threat of death) / American.
Still, I’m always badgered when I board a plane.

My blood had warned that Trump would win. Since then,
I’ve traveled — aimless — sleeping on the sofas of my friends,
for now in Istanbul. I can’t stay though, watched by Erdoḡan.

Where next? Malaysia? Lebanon? And when my money’s gone?
Sweep floors or serve kabob. Take anything – a scrap, a bone.
Impossible to think of “going home.”

~~

Death of the Tragedians

Aeschylus the tragedian died, it’s said,
when a tortoise fell upon his head
proving, clear enough —
it’s also “turtles going up.”

Sophocles, however, met his fate
by choking on a single grape,
which confirms: it’s better to sip wine
than to abstain in hope of cheating time.

But, alas, Euripides
met an end far worse than these.

He was torn apart by dogs
set loose by playwrights, jealous that the gods
gave him more talent – which goes to show
that men are worse than gods. But that we know.

~

~~~~

Poems copyright 2026 Richard St. John

Richard St. John’s newest collection of poetry is Book of Entangled Souls (Broadstone, 2022). His other books include Each Perfected Name and The Pure Inconstancy of Grace (Truman State, 2015 & 2005). He lives in Pittsburgh, PA.