Mack Hall
Sidonian Dido, Africa's queen --
Dreamer on the Mediterranean shore:
Why is it that your truth has not been seen?
In singing ancient songs there is far more
Than tall tales treacherous Trojans tend to tell,
Crude calumnies by Teucerian bores
Your faithful friends followed when your star fell
In your Phoenician homeland far away
In Africa you built anew, built well
Your city between the desert and bay --
Carthage, homeland of courtesy and grace
Where even Juno deigned to dwell, some say
Sidonian Dido, your ancient race
Brought to the desert the lute and the lyre
Made moonlit music in that dream-scaped place
Sidonian Dido, Africa's queen!
The black, bitter smoke of your funeral pyre
Cannot obscure the brilliance of your fire
Cannot win honour for Dardanian liars
Didonia Dido, a dreamer's queen --
Sing to us who love you on African nights
When the deep desert dreams in limpid light
Whene eyes and hearts and moon are full and bright
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