Write an Epic Poem

intention of clearing this goal off. But in reading the only actual entry, I find merit in it. It felt good to read it and as a personal development – I feel it the need to readdress it. For those who would like to be updated – let me know – knowing an audience exists for such doggrel might be helpful.

To this Polus responded in like
“will you not stand with your shield on my shoulder
Protecting my side so that I may protect another?
With my spears shaft braced your thigh
Against this crush
A wall of bone, bronze and muscle
Of one mind, of resolute and implacable will
Will you not stand?
Or will you turn and lick your superficial wounds?
Will you hide amid those sulkers
when feign sickness and boil water to clean the wounds
of those who fight?
Will you bring your men to line, to take your place
among the brave and soon to be dead?
Will you look your brothers in the face one last time as
the killing wave crashes down upon you both
or will you be content in hearing the stories of how
this one acted with valor, moved liked a shade
dealing death to all he touched
before being dispatched to the world of shadow
Will you turn your back the brotherhood which borne you
From cradle to the space you stand now?
Will you stand?
Will you?
It is answer that should be given without thought
Simple, without guile,
Will you stand?

War council quiet as Polus threw
Down the staff of the Chair
A challenge requiring response

Themous of Trif, son of Gelim sat
Considering this sharp rebuke from the lips of Polus,
Ire rising, blood flowing hot in his mind
A hand to the hilt of the short sword resting on hip
He rose and responded in like
“This is the last time you will treat me
as some coward, some sick dog
to be coerced into the defense of his home
I have stood in all the places where hot action
threatened to destroy our brotherhood
I have pushed to the center of the bloody fray
To kill my man without remorse on broken ground
To suffer the wounds from close action
My hut is filled with the armor and arms of
Those I have sent to the undergloom
Their names to you I could recite
In hours upon hours you would hear of my
Bravery, my killing strength, my ferocity that is
Known among my enemies and feared
My flashing helm will part oceans of men
Centers break against the sight of me wading through the
thrashing ocean to where they stand
Like a killer wave to crash against them
They break to me
They break to the thought of my flashing spear point
Like a silver flash of a deadly fish in murky water that can’t be caught
But will dart in and takes it’s fill of your flesh
They run from the arc of my blade
That cleaves them from life and spills their force
On the dusty ground.
I am Themous – breaker of Armies,
Killer of men, havester of souls, usurper of courage
I am Themous – and I will stand.
As I have always stood.”

And with that
He sat down.

That this will be messy to start with but will pull together as I proceed. It has been in my nature to seek perfection in my writing before proceeding. Is it any wonder then that my writing has proceeded slowly (if at all). So…I’m just going to post and get a feel for it – see how it grows.

the Iliad by Homer. But the other day – I picked up it up on CD – read by George Guidall. It’s the 1974 translation by Robert Fitzgerald.

Anger be now your song, immortal one,
Akhilleus’ anger, doomed and ruinous,
that caused the Akhains loss on bitter loss
And crowded brave souls into the undergloom,
leaving so many dead men – carrion
for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.

With this partial stanza – I was entranced. I proceeded to listen for the remaining 4 hours of the trip. Spellbound by the imagery, the directness, the logic of the dialog. And then I started thinking…..

I have had this story in my mind for a few years now. Roughly
laid out, with the concept being something written so far in the past that it’s origin was uncertain but written in our future.
(?). But I believe it is time to actually try it – and if it
sucks – then it’s an epic suck. One for the ages. I am very much open to any encouragement I can get on this one. If I can
write installments for a few die hard readers – that might mean
I actually finish it. If not, my name will be ranked amoung all
the other epic poems writers who never really got around to
finishing.