ΕΛΛΑΣ Rerendered
A variation on a theme by Shelley,
this requires a degree of video gaming knowledge. (I wonder how many people still remember
the Lik-Sang affair...)
It was also written when the Western media had never heard of RapeLay; maybe its advice was prescient.
The world’s great age begins anew
With electronic games:
One player’s eaten by a grue,
One falls to Bowser’s flames;
And Heaven Smile make smithereens:
Now heroes rise élite and Keen.
Bright platforms rise and blocks descend;
A Zoomer falls, a Slime,
And legions more, until The End
Of real or turn-based time.
A Snake, a Thief, shinobi creep,
While pixels gleam and chiptunes bleep.
A lofty Highwind claims the main –
Relief from random fights! –
As Ganon rises yet again
In polygons or sprites;
A Muse reborn inspires once more,
With NiGHTS lost for a higher score.
Drag not me back from Guardia
While Earth one deathmatch knows;
Nor fear I’m getting lardier:
My katamari grows!
I’m not desensitised; I’ve run
To where war can be so much fun.
So let another Guildford rise,
Another Bullfrog spawn;
Let clouds scroll artificial skies
Each interactive dawn;
And with consoling joys I’ll hide
Till there’s a happier world outside.
Importing for a chipped device
Odd gems or Treasures rare,
We’ve Tokimemo to entice,
Chou Aniki to scare.
(Of Bikō 3 and RapeLay let’s
Be silent hence, with no regrets.)
O cease! Would you enclose our dreams?
Seal less that trademarked box.
Cease! Keep us not from stranger themes
With crippling region locks!
Let not another fan game drown,
Or vendor follow Lik-Sang down!