@ 27.055 MHz: Ad Astra; Homer Does Not Turn His Sight Away; So He Tells Us

I am a Poet:  and the poems I mean

will hymn the gods, journeys, and war at Troy.

But, with the Poets' insight, I have seen

Achilles and Patroclus. naked, in bed,

asleep in each others arms---streaks of the stain

of their sweetnesses upon their silken sheets;

and Chiron allows this love to them!  It cheats

the binary arrangements made by nature.

I know, well, what to call it:  nomenclature

for such a thing persists; but its proper name

is not "Love is Love"; I would feel great shame---

unbearable really---to state its Truth in verse.

 

Better to consider it loathsome curse;

lest some clodhopping readers might complain.

 

Yes, some of my lines will be read by them.

Therefore, I dare not tell the tales they condemn.

 

J-Called

Author's Notes/Comments: 

Lest confusion be caused, this poem represents Homer's opinions (as I imagine them) and not mine.

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patriciajj's picture

Something is certainly wrong

Something is certainly wrong with society when a Great Bard risks condemnation if he immortalizes an alternative expression of love and dares to "state its Truth in verse". Some pearls, it seems, are too precious to cast before swine. 

 

Your variety of settings and characters in this series seems inexhaustible. Very impressive! 

J-C4113D's picture

I do not have sufficient

I do not have sufficient words to describe how much the second paragraph of your comment has helped me make some decisions for going forward.


J-Called

J-C4113D's picture

Thank you for that comment. 

Thank you for that comment.  I am encouraged, by your words, to continue the series---which, as you know (forgive me for the repetitiousness, but I do not tire of saying this), was inspired by your comments and encouragements.  Thank you, even raised exponentially to a gazillion, come near to expressing my gratitude; but the internal emotion never fits the available, but always external, words.


J-Called