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England, Awake!
England, Awake! England, awake!. The ambush is set. Their weapons prepared, The forces of desperate Anarchy lurk In the shades of numberless causes To strike at Democracy’s heart. England, […]
Funerals
Funerals Past I. Four stalwart neighbours, Hats in hands, With coffin hoisted to broad shoulders, Shuffled through the darkened door. […]
Xerxes in Greece
Xerxes in Greece (October 480 BC) Xerxes, sat on his throne high overSalamis, Stared down in disbelief to see his Persian fleet, (More than two thousand sail), trapped and destroyed within Those narrow straits where they were lured by wily Greeks, Whose mere four hundred triremes beat the waves to foam And […]
Œdipus
Œdipus Introduction: There are several versions of the Œdipus myth – Homer put one in the Iliad, Aeschylus [Seven Against Thebes] […]
Agamemnon's Death
Agamemnon’s Death Relaxed and carefree in his welcome bath, Proud Agamemnon washed away the grime OfTroy’s prolonged campaign. At last the wounds Of war were sluiced in victory and he Could plan a peaceful future for his land. Ablutions done, he stepped […]
Lamia and Jealousy
Lamia and Jealousy For some there writhes a serpent in the brain From whose lewd jaws foul venom spews Upon the root-strings of the tongue. That monster feeds on love but vomits bile, Most bitterly on those whose trust is near. That Lamia is termagent […]
Nocturne
Nocturne Still the dark night – a penitential calm In expiation of the rude day’s din – And all seems peaceable within The silent house. As fragrant as a balm A low breeze lulls the trees. Over the soundless […]
Stonehenge
Stonehenge (After Arbar Low by Doris Corti) Pictured, the Stones seem hugely redolent Of some portentous, cosmic consciousness. First met, their insignificance appals A mind anticipating grandeur’s awe. Grouped, age-runed, in the shallow open bowl Of their […]
Agony and Ecstasy
Agony and Ecstasy Each poem that I write Is forced from me By agony or ecstasy!. Not day nor night Makes any difference To tortured sense; For, when compulsion comes to me, I cannot fight The agony, the ecstasy!. Who’s no true poet may Not pay this fee […]
Incubus
Incubus Upon my back all day, all night, he clings Immovable as fabled Sindbad’s Old Man of the Sea; arms strangle-gripped around My neck, legs locked about my loins. He goads Me on to write whether I wish or no; Torments […]