Two Men from Two Small
Places Save Poetry for the
Universe: Athenaeus of
Naucratis and C. D. Yonge
of the Village of Eton
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
One thousand and six hundred later years
Or so an Englishman translated all
These lines for us. So Athenaeus’ fears
That banquet conversations might well fall
Between the cracks of history came to naught.
The author from Naucratis found a mate
In Britain after all that time. So fraught
With danger of annihilation, great
Amounts of poetry were saved by two
Men, lovers. Neither knew consummation
Of their impassioned work together. Few
Couples have produced such preservation.
..The verse they saved is ancient, Greek, and rare,
….Egyptian and Etonian this pair.