Achilles Drags the Body of Hector Behind Bad Battle Chariot

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

Truth’s poetry is wider than the range

Of science, breadth’s tall theories and facts.

To disagree with this you must derange

The history of humanity.  Vast tracts

Of time have honed this truth to human hearts.

Prolonged the war and slaughter?  Still we need

The seer and the poet sounding parts

Of it so truly that our souls will bleed.

Prolonged the journey homeward to the isle

Where man is king and husband, and where love

Abides?  Prolonged because bad gods exile

You?  Homer hymns your manly force and shove.

  Astronomers can only go so far.

    Mere science leaves us lacking with a scar.

καὶ μετὰ ταῦτ’ Ἕκτορα δῖον ἀεικέα ἕλκετο γυῖα· δεσμὸν δ’ ἐντέλλετο ποσσὶ παρὰ σφυρὰ καὶ ἀστραγάλους, ῥίψας ἐξ ἅρματος· κεφαλὴ δ’ ἅμα πᾶσα ἔσυρε· Ἕκτορα δ’ ἄλλοτε μὲν κατὰ γούνατα, ἄλλοτε δ’ ἐπ’ ὤμους ἕλκετο· ἄμφω δὲ μέλαιναι κονίαι ἐκάλυπτον.

©  Phillip Whidden