This is really a beautiful poem about Helen, the princess whose beauty started that ancient war. I love the way the rhythm sort of changed (or shall I say the one's heartbeat) as the poem progresses. The poem starts out slowly, one expecting it to be a typical love poem for a lady called "Helena". But then "Homer" is metioned and I start to wonder where this is going. Then we read that famous old quote about the face that "launched a thousand ships" and my heart starts to beat at a different rate as I'm visually taken back to Troy at a time of war.
I could almost hear hear the beat of drums and the cry for war. I see those thousand ships at sea, men armed and ready for war, "come what may". All for the love of a woman. Then it gets quiet - "Men laid down their arms to worship the night". One is sort of relieved at this image and the drumbeat stops. But then, SUDDENLY, the drums beat faster then before, and the battle begins "at light of day". Well, that's what I saw :-)
I loved your ending, because even after the last line is read, the reader is still left with a lot of thought. I'm pretty sure that they could use this as an introduction, read by a narrater, to a movie or play about the "Trojan Wars". It sets a nice mood. "Then shunned the light of day...", and as those words end, the next act is played out... the start of the Trojan War...
There is also a line in the middle "...by your heart they all would be judged...", which makes one think. Was the death of thousands of men worth it? Can love be so strong, can beauty be so enticing, that a king would risk his army for it?
Well, these are only my interpretations and thoughts.
Great poem with some beautiful lines and visual imagery that takes us back to ancient greece (or to greek mythology as some would prefer). As a lover of history and mythology I give it 10/10!
Tate, I believe this is among my very favorites of yours that I have read. You have grown and evolved as a poet and I can tell that growth and evolution came on it's own naturally. There is some brilliant phrasing in this short piece and some damn impressive descriptive imagery and phrasing. Well done, friend, well done.
Posted 8 Years Ago
8 Years Ago
I thank you dane You know I wrote this back in 2009 and kept updating it changing thew phrasing and .. read moreI thank you dane You know I wrote this back in 2009 and kept updating it changing thew phrasing and the way it is presented it is nice to hear someone noticed. It is in a way akin to my own thoughts on how to write. it is short and concise.Yet it is about the old world. In my mind the stories of Homer the Odyssey the Iliad were the first to be transferred from song where they resided for some 500 yrs to the written word of the western mastery of language. It is my assumption that even as we smell cookies and think of grandmas So too does music bring out memories of our life. it is held in the part of the brain that holds emotion and is the reason we can hear a song and remember long thought forgotten lyrics. So too can feel common experience and emotion when we hear songs. That is why we cannot remember prose but we pass down stories like these for 500 yrs without change through song.
this was quite inspiring makes me
want to write of the Greek Gods well
one in mind I know they are not real but
I have a Fascination for the Greek Mythology
I love the Titans if you know what I am talking about.
Thank you for sharing this Imaginary piece
I've been wanting to read some of your work.
Thank you I believe the story of helena is in part true and caused the war between troy and the gree.. read moreThank you I believe the story of helena is in part true and caused the war between troy and the greeks it was simply kept as a story for 500 yrs before the greeks invented writing and wrote it down hence the mythology of it
9 Years Ago
yes true but I am happy that you've Inspired me thank you again. was a pleasure to read my friend. .. read moreyes true but I am happy that you've Inspired me thank you again. was a pleasure to read my friend. you're welcome. look at the comment I left on your Math video on Face book I left LOL...
Blessings.Benita / kindred poet
9 Years Ago
I saw it lol funny wasnt it sad though Who dat baby daddy lol
And found in their own way, something different they needed to say. Communication need not rely, on the words one would reply. So truly please, show me how, to hold a silent vow. Beautiful Tate.
Congratulations this poem has been "approved" for publication in...
THE MAGICAL MYTHICAL MYSTERY COMPENDIUM.
-Metaphysical, Mystical & Fantastical Poetry of the Arcane
By John Phoenix Hutchinson and Others. (c) 2012
Please feel free to submit other poems as you are not limited to one entry. Also please write a short "bio" about yourself and send to me via private message. This will be published along with your poem. Thanks J.P.H.
Anyone wanting to make Submissions to this Writers Cafe "e" book Project can do so on my group page, the deadline is 1st of November 2012.
That was lovely. I adore the song you picked; Adele is awesome. Well done on flow of the words of a short and simple poem. The similes and metaphores are great too and using the Greek and Roman mythology content is brilliant. Great job with creativity, poetry and image that was made so well. Keep up the amazing work.
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I am a product of the Midwest. Raised on the plain states of North America. I was nurtured on a .. more..
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