Poetry before Writing
“Greece down through the fifth century has aptly been
described as a ‘song culture’.”
~ Michael Schmidt in The First Poets, 10, quoting Leslie
Kurke, “The Strangeness of ‘Song Culture’: archaic Greek poetry’”
In ancient Greece the mainlands and the isles
Held deeply in their peoples’ fireside souls
The singing. Long before the columned aisles
Were raised and long before poetic scrolls
Were written, closed, and opened up for song,
The culture was a culture of the throat.
The words were memorized. The lines were strong.
The lines did not need vellum, rolled, to float
Them old and perfect through the night-time air
Or through the fields of harvest and the rooms
Of weddings. Altars knew the sacred flair
Of singing words and singing sealed the tombs.
..The alphabet and writing were not missed.
….In death, and life, and love the singing kissed.
First published on August 26, 2017 by the Society of Classical Poets