An impressive combination of meter, history and tightly-packed drama that doesn't merely depict the brutality of the events, but reveals nefarious motives and a centuries-old cover-up.
Thanks Patricia quite literally my gratitude for your kind and fitting words. I never know if poems like this would work. They are not the easiest topics to navigate and being by matter of information and established 'lore' a rich fodder for what is termed as 'found poetry' and the like. So your most appreciated consideration of it is genuine and from the heart. To be tasteful and yet opening up what to others may be an open-shut case and giving it a form and expression from a visiting mind and generation, that brings to life and bridges between epochs and understandings. (A metered exposition might be an apt description for this, perhaps)
I know only the slightest information about Hypatia, although I am aware that she was murdered by fanatics, but I enjoyed your poem---which compresses a lot of information in a brief space.
Yes kind sir, that was the challenge of the subject matter, to allow for a manageable collection of information where there are so many and sometimes conflicting bits of data and to elect the ones that bring enough leeway to flex and still be in keeping with the general understanding of events which hopefully brings a thought process that could host even the opposing or incongruent views in the one poem.
Having thus said, these fanatics could be or could be likened to the parabalani who were loyal helpers that were employed by the ruling power to help with the terminally ill and dying. That fanaticism went beyond euthanasia at some point and even became a "secret" force to carry out assassinations in the interest of the security of state. A second supporting idea to fanaticism is that having divested her of her clothing within the temple grounds whe was dismembered and her body parts were dragged/paraded around the districts of Alexandria before being brought together at a funeral pyre to purify the city of all the evils she was purported to have brought in her life's work.
As a Christian, I am ashamed of those Christian fanatics who completely subverted and violated the teachings of Christ by doing that to her. Definitely, as Christ said, the tares do grow among the wheat.
In such situations I remind myself of Iscariot and Peter, both imperfect in their own individual ways and yet both given patience, mercy and grace. But one gave up where the other came back and turned from his ways. And I do understand and relate deeply with that sense of shame. It is a standing reminder that it is not the Christians but the Christ that saves, else there would be no need for atoning, repentance, redemption, reconciliation, resurrection, imputation, justification and all those big and marvellous things that can only be truly understood by living faith and grace.
There is comfort that it is deemed so by an esteemed reader. Thoughts are less that half a penny cheap, even to the most intimate of relations. Thank you for indicating so.
An impressive combination of
An impressive combination of meter, history and tightly-packed drama that doesn't merely depict the brutality of the events, but reveals nefarious motives and a centuries-old cover-up.
An explosive presentation. Bravo!
Thanks Patricia quite
Thanks Patricia quite literally my gratitude for your kind and fitting words. I never know if poems like this would work. They are not the easiest topics to navigate and being by matter of information and established 'lore' a rich fodder for what is termed as 'found poetry' and the like. So your most appreciated consideration of it is genuine and from the heart. To be tasteful and yet opening up what to others may be an open-shut case and giving it a form and expression from a visiting mind and generation, that brings to life and bridges between epochs and understandings. (A metered exposition might be an apt description for this, perhaps)
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver
I know only the slightest
I know only the slightest information about Hypatia, although I am aware that she was murdered by fanatics, but I enjoyed your poem---which compresses a lot of information in a brief space.
Starward
Yes kind sir, that was the
Yes kind sir, that was the challenge of the subject matter, to allow for a manageable collection of information where there are so many and sometimes conflicting bits of data and to elect the ones that bring enough leeway to flex and still be in keeping with the general understanding of events which hopefully brings a thought process that could host even the opposing or incongruent views in the one poem.
Having thus said, these fanatics could be or could be likened to the parabalani who were loyal helpers that were employed by the ruling power to help with the terminally ill and dying. That fanaticism went beyond euthanasia at some point and even became a "secret" force to carry out assassinations in the interest of the security of state. A second supporting idea to fanaticism is that having divested her of her clothing within the temple grounds whe was dismembered and her body parts were dragged/paraded around the districts of Alexandria before being brought together at a funeral pyre to purify the city of all the evils she was purported to have brought in her life's work.
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver
As a Christian, I am ashamed
As a Christian, I am ashamed of those Christian fanatics who completely subverted and violated the teachings of Christ by doing that to her. Definitely, as Christ said, the tares do grow among the wheat.
Starward
In such situations I remind
In such situations I remind myself of Iscariot and Peter, both imperfect in their own individual ways and yet both given patience, mercy and grace. But one gave up where the other came back and turned from his ways. And I do understand and relate deeply with that sense of shame. It is a standing reminder that it is not the Christians but the Christ that saves, else there would be no need for atoning, repentance, redemption, reconciliation, resurrection, imputation, justification and all those big and marvellous things that can only be truly understood by living faith and grace.
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver
Wow! Your theological
Wow! Your theological insight is sooooo profound.
Starward
There is comfort that it is
There is comfort that it is deemed so by an esteemed reader. Thoughts are less that half a penny cheap, even to the most intimate of relations. Thank you for indicating so.
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver