Sappho's Rose

Our English Rose by Michael R. Burch for Christine Ena Burch The rose is— the ornament of the earth, the glory of nature, the archetype of the flowers, the blush of the meadows, a lightning flash of beauty. This is my translation of ancient Greek epigram by Sappho of Lesbos. It was originally titled "Sappho's Rose" before I chose to dedicate it to my mother, Christine Ena Burch, who was born and raised in England. The rose is symbolic of love, compassion, tenderness, faithfulness, grace and passion. Remembering Not to Call by Michael R. Burch a villanelle permitting mourning, for my mother, Christine Ena Burch The hardest thing of all, after telling her everything, is remembering not to call. Now the phone hanging on the wall will never announce her ring: the hardest thing of all for children, however tall. And the hardest thing this spring will be remembering not to call the one who was everything. That the songbirds will nevermore sing is the hardest thing of all for those who once listened, in thrall, and welcomed the message they bring, since they won’t remember to call. And the hardest thing this fall will be a number with no one to ring. No, the hardest thing of all is remembering NOT to call. Keywords/Tags: Rose, ornament, glory, nature, archetype, flowers, blush, meadows, flash, beauty, beautiful, lightning, light, earth, ancient Greek translation, Attis, Anactoria, Sappho, Lesbos, Greece SAPPHO'S POEMS FOR ATTIS AND ANACTORIA Ode to Anactoria or Ode to Attis Sappho, fragment 94 (Lobel-Page 94 / Voigt 94) loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch So my Attis has not returned and thus, let the truth be said, I wish I were dead... 'Honestly, I just want to die! ' Attis sighed, shedding heartfelt tears, inconsolably sad when she left me. 'How deeply we have loved, we two, Sappho! Oh, I really don't want to go! ' I answered her tenderly, 'Go as you must and be happy, trust- ing your remembrance of me, for you know how much I loved you. And if you begin to forget, please try to recall all the heavenly emotions we felt as with many wreathes of violets, roses and crocuses you sat beside me adorning your delicate neck. Once garlands had been fashioned of many woven flowers, with much expensive myrrh we anointed our bodies like royalty on soft couches, then my tender caresses fulfilled your desire...' Unfortunately, fragment 94 has several gaps and I have tried to imagine what Sappho might have been saying.