by phillipw | Dec 2, 2020 | AN, BA, EU, HA, JA, LY, ME, MU, MY, OR
Lyrical Light and Annihilation The harp is not of heaven alone. Its strings Have been to Hades on the saddest trip. A gilded harp may seem to have the wings Of Hermes. It may ride an Argo ship Which has one eye to see its way to fleece And gold, to beauty’s...
by phillipw | Jul 16, 2020 | CO, EU, FL, HA, HE, OR, PL, RO
That Supreme Nazi, Plato, Sounded Off about Orpheus Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem He takes the poison of his courage and His love. He does not try to dazzle death With poetry: Romeo is not bland...
by phillipw | Jul 14, 2020 | BE, EU, PO, UG
Poets, Poetry, and Women For well thou know’st to my dear doting heart Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel. Yet, in good faith, some say that thee behold, Thy face hath not the power to make love groan ~ Sonnet 131 Who thinks of blank Eurydice? None. Slack...
by phillipw | Jul 14, 2020 | AN, CE, EU, HA, IX, MY
Poetry Makes a Different Exploration of the Realm of Death No poet thinks about the path the wife Of Orpheus took down to Hades. Not One poet ever writes about how harshly rife That journey was. The poisoned bride’s death lot Was just the same as anyone’s. The path...
by phillipw | Jul 8, 2020 | AL, EU, OR
Imperfection as Perfection Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem The eyes are white and wide. They look as spare As Orpheus’s when he lost his wife. Yet Alexander never knew such bare And sand-dune...
by phillipw | Jul 8, 2020 | EU, JA, OR
If Orpheus Had Not Looked Back Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem If Orpheus had not looked round, his wife Would not have fallen back to death. He would Have had her all his unheroic life. The Argosy...
by phillipw | Jul 7, 2020 | CU, EU, LO, PA, VI
Gay Love as Paradox Love, who is wisdom’s pupil gay ~ Euripides Euripides goes on to say that love Leads on to virtue, often. Note that one Word,: “often,” though, for love is not above Dementing men with rot-like passion. Stun Them, that is what love does,...
by phillipw | Jul 7, 2020 | AN, EU, OR
Eurydice behind Orpheus Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem Do spirits dress in spirit clothes and shoes? Do spirit sandals make a sound when on The road in night or are they too diffuse Of spirit atoms? ...
by phillipw | Jul 6, 2020 | EU, HA, OR, PL, RO
That Supreme Nazi, Plato, Sounded Off about Orpheus Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse He takes the poison of his courage and His love. He does not try to dazzle death With poetry: Romeo is not bland Like that. He gulps down. ...
by phillipw | Jul 6, 2020 | DE, DI, EU, HA, LO, OR
Did We Really Think that They Would Give Her Body to Him? Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse Eurydice was dead. Come on. Just soul Is all she was by then. So why would he Expect some wonder from the deepest hole Of anywhere, that...
by phillipw | May 10, 2020 | EL, EU
The Power of Poetry “Lysander spared Athens from destruction, moved by the beauty of the chorus in Electra.” ~ Michael Schmidt, The First Poets, p. 416 A single chorus sung saved Athens from Lysander’s havoc. “Level Athens,” urged A Theban officer. “Let it...
by phillipw | Apr 22, 2020 | DE, EU, PO
Poetry Makes a Different Exploration of the Realm of Death No poet thinks about the path the wife Of Orpheus took down to Hades. Not One poet ever writes about how harshly rife That journey was. The poisoned bride’s death lot Was just the same as anyone’s. The path...