On The Acropol Of Asine Poem by dimitrios galanis
On The Acropol Of Asine
In spite of centuries many, passed, it still stands here
over the large gulf they dominated and sailed from
for the long to Troia journey.
On its walls their sobs they hung
and stretched the screen of their fate's bitterness those Asineans
who in vain anticipated the ones not destined to see back the fatherland.
No matter if the ravaging milleniums did not mention the castle.
Its defuncts never renounced it.
They gazed its proud standstill amidst the eons
from the opposite mild slopes of the hills.
Their utensils and artifacts
accompanied them in eternity
and kept its life's language alive,
marvellous clay vases, everyday's beautiful figures,
hymns to women's beauty their necklaces and eartags,
swords and helmets, their bravery's seals.
Fortunatelly it's the deads who keep world's values
and between their cinders
smoldering is always the torch
of the glorious passed over centuries.
There is, so, no need to allow chagrin
blur the imposant stones in the darkness of its veil.
Do not we see around them the cheering throng,
the slender beauties
with the gleaming dresses
and the glistening eyes
going up 'n' down the stonesteps
balancing upon the head the hydrias.
On the beads of their delicate neck
the sunshines, see, sparkle.
The snaky cobblepaths hardly cover
in their corners and shadows
the lifegame of its teenagers,
the eloquent conspiring eye's nod,
the discreetly impatient smile.
On sitstones outside their gates the elders
on their knees play the joy of the young offsprings
amid the clamour ascending the uphill
from the white pebbles of the shore
where spread are East's merchandise
which Phineceans merchants tout.
No need, then, to look for lonely shadows
in places we do not feel deserted,
when buzzing is the bumblebee between us, visitors,
a whole society alive in our memory
as it parades on the boulevard of eternity!
............
[ I.'and Asine imposing over deep gulf' {Hom.Il, Β,560},
ΙΙ. G.Seferis: The king of Asine]
......................................................
no.. sorry.. your poem 'Sisyphus' will be in 'Our Chains, Our Dreams - Part II.'.. 'On The Acropol Of Asine' could be in a future ''Part III.''
Dimitrios, what about adding 'On The Acropol Of Asine' (both English & Greek texts) to 'Our Chains, Our Dreams - Part II.'?
I followed your advice to another reader, and went back to read Seferis after reading Acropel, and then reading Acropil again. Two sides of a coin? From Seferis I got: To be feasted on by maggots and the worms Life with all its glory - defunct Honest & possibly true. But I feel better leaning more to your point: it's the dead who keep world's values Again, honest and possibly true, with much more hope!
Thank yo so much, my dear for your kindness to follow the connections I had in mind.
This indeed a parade on the boulevard of eternity! What a vivid evocation of an ancient but still vital world. This could have been a lament for what has been lost, and it might have become a bitter lament as we recall to present awareness the lost glories of the past. B-U-T you do not surrender to that sense the past as un-recoverable, just shadows we can't connect with. Instead your bring a living tableau to our senses in all of its glory, and variety, the triumphs and defeats, the ravages of time and the victories of time. I was exhilarated reading this poem. I'm reminded of a critic who said Ezra Pound in his CANTOS wanted his readers to experience history, not just learn about it. That's what your poem did for me.
I wrote this poem as a contrapost to the poem of the Nobel winner G.Seferis The king of Asine one of the very few good poems of his.I had in mind a living tableauindeed and I'm so happy you, dear Daniel saw it in front of your wyes.
Asine, the ancient city of Greece still holds the vestiges of its one time glory! The artifacts excavated from there still speak volumes of its one time glory. Unfortunately it was plundered endlessly by foreign invaders...... Yet, it stays as a living memory of the great Cradle of Civilization.....! . As a Greek citizen, I can read your sense of angst as well as pride over what your empire has lost and what it could still retain despite the ravages of time! Great write!
Of notice that I started working as a professor; s assistant excavating the ancient oracle of Dodona.In all my life I kept that love to the ancient world which leads us today.Thank you, dear Lady.
Delivering Poems Around The World
Poems are the property of their respective owners. All information has been reproduced here for educational and informational purposes to benefit site visitors, and is provided at no charge...
4/27/2024 10:39:31 AM # 1.0.0.1119
You have much to be proud of in your ancient country. What would the world be like if Greece was allowed to spread its culture and knowledge freely 2000 years ago.
Oh Kelly, it has spread it all over the world through first by Alexander's expedition to the East and then by the roman's absorbtion of it and that is why our world is a greek world in every aspect of life.Just to imagine take into notice that in the english vocabulary there are more than 90 thousand words, not to mention the way european languages are following to form the arguments and scepsis....If you find time do look up one of the very few good poems of G.Seferis refering to the The king of Asine To understand better mine.Thank you so much.