Zenobia's last look upon Palmyra*

There She stood after the defeat
Having a last look at Palmyra,
The day had  come to wear
Hues swarthy and cries of Hurrah
From men who did not even know her,

She looked bound and so chained
Captive after so many years of her reign,
Not faraway from where she stood
There out of the thickest wood
Came flying to her the wise owl
She knew by then all of hers were sold,
Ripped apart by men who knew not
To what plunder they Palmyra brought,

Her eyes dark beyond the usual wont
Looked at the owl and dethroned
Zenobia by Aurelian so knew
The night had come for her to view
Her favoured place, her vast land
Where She once did her dreams plant,

Not faraway from where She stood
The owl sat there on a pedestal and did  brood
Upon the fate of her favourite Syria
How She cast her last look upon Palmyra,

She knew it would be her last look
For the next day would they her own,
Like they without any remorse possessed
All that were hers, her people, her son,

She knew it was perhaps for one time last
She was watching the land vast
Those lanes, alleys where people thronged
Where they sang beautiful evening songs,

And there She stood , Zenobia quiet
Her eyes beyond the usual wont
Having that swarthy hue
So by Aurelian dethroned.

(* note: upon a painting by Herbert Gustave Schmalz, )