Jim Slaughter Poet Senryu

It's Greek To Me

Aeschylus: "Agamemnon"

A man in exile
Feeds himself on barren hope
Yields to fate in time

Aeschylus: "Prometheus Unbound"

Life's hard lesson
Wrong is shameful in the old
Time instructs us all

Sophocles: "Philoctetes"

Words not deeds rule men
Shaped to meet the moment's need
Waging war with fate

Sophocles: "Antigone"

Courage to choose right
And 'gainst harsh reality
Make no compromise

Aristophanes: "Lysistrata"

Poet's plea for peace
Fair breezes speed us onward
Making love not war

Euripides: "Alcestis"

Time will console you
Walk to the end of old age
The dead are nothing

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Maurice Rigoler December 20, 2024 at 8:13 PM I'm fairly well read in Greek mythology, philosophy. and architecture. Seeing the Parthenon as a young airman was awesome! Also, standing atop the Areopagos (where the apostle Paul preached) was a moving experience. Thanks for the stop by. / Maurice Jim Slaughter December 21, 2024 at 10:29 AM You are truly "un homme du monde", M. Thank you.

Jennifer Proxenos October 29, 2024 at 2:31 AM Greeks and Greek mythology is a whole new world whose subject on it own very intricate, egotistical and cruel at times, look at poor Prometheus who against Zeus's wishes, gave light to mortal man and was chained to a mountain for the birds to eat his liver every day, during the day it would grow again and at night the birds would eat it, and he was doomed to this by Zeus, who disobeyed him, for eternity. I am Greek, but prefer living in the year 2024! I enjoyed your poem Jim. Blessings, Jennifer. Jim Slaughter October 29, 2024 at 10:33 AM Thanks, Jennifer. Yes, Zeus was a really swell guy, n'est-ce pas?

John Read October 12, 2024 at 10:55 AM Do you by any chance study philosophy Jim. I must admit I listen to Marcus Aurelius Meditations on you tube now and then it's so enlightening and soothing. Jim Slaughter October 13, 2024 at 10:02 AM No, John, I dabble a bit from time to time, but I do not "study" philosophy. Thanks for taking a gander at my interpretation of what these "high fallutin' Greeks" had to philosophize about.