Best Ithaca Poems
So once again, with grim countenance, the ship sailed on with all bemoaning their woes
Till calm seas prevailed, with balmy sun, sweet zephyr song, they came to Helios' shores.
Helios, calm god of the day, smiled upon the lads, gave of his land free rein, but with a caveat-
Helios pride was his golden herd, indolent and fat,"Do what you will, but don't touch that"
Well, as was their wont, like a terrible refrain, full-weathered from woes and want, but yet unwise,
The crew, overcome by gluttonous greed, slaughtered a heifer, for raucous feast, not sacrifice.
Wild was Helios at this blatant deceit, with terrible curse, banished them all, to wander once again.
So with Helios' curse (and Neptune's help), the ship was tossed and soon lost, all crew were slain.
It was Odysseus alone who was alive, afloat on flotsam, floating about, with fervent wish of death
But sweet surcease was not his lot, more plight was his fate - his tryst was due with Charybdis yet.
Perhaps Scylla was a better bet, in it's slavering jaws a definite death, I think he'd rather have it
But caught he was in Charybdis' thrall, a vortex which ate him whole, and threw him out as spit.
Past the maelstrom's outer whirl was our hero tossed clinging to life's last hope, verily a straw
Floated, the wasted carricature of a man, denied of food and water, no sustenance he could draw.
But perchance the Gods smiled on him, wearied of their devious, puerile games going too long
Odysseus fell on land once more, where restored were life and limb, bewitched by Calypso's song.
Now Odysseus, all said and done, was a man vulnerable to worldly women's wanton wiles
And Calypso was full besot with our hero's lusty frame, his wit, his deeds and charming smiles.
For seven years did he taste bliss, ensconced in Calypso's arms with thought of home amiss
But one day, after seven years, did Caypso, with heavy heart, let him go on pleas of our Hermes.
From Calypso's isle did Odysseus sail on raft, through storm, as was now his habit, and came to Sceria
Where Nausicca, on Athena's urge, gave succor, till he sailed with Phaecians who had trade with Sumeria
The Phaecian ships soon landed Odysseus on fair Ithacan shores where Penelope had travail,
But my dear laddies, I must hie hence, for the Dawn is nigh, of Penelope and Suitors, is another tale.
Concluded
Far from this antique bay and moor,
your plaintive voice sung for my soul,
and lifted me to Ithaca's shore.
Can longing's echoes loudly toll,
and invite me to your front door,
like gods that decreed from a scroll.
I sailed to Troy and far beyond,
to go and fight an epic war.
Men joined, forming paired, loving bonds
to be their bright and glowing North Star.
I took a boy, a vibrant blonde,
with whom I shared many battle scars.
With Poseidon, the fates between,
the sea opposed us. But I loved
the youth, Penelope my Queen.
Please forgive us, my loyal dove,
and spare us from your jealous spleen,
so Zeus sends no bolts from above.
I loved you, but desire's arrow,
against my willpower pierced my heart!
Compelled by Cupid's dart and bow,
we made love. To honor royal art,
I cede my throne: — but you can't know,
loving you both tears me apart.
Without you, I was forced to grow?
Dis feeling
Such a rustic smell!
Nostalgia fills the belly.
Authority sapped; energy reborn.
Familiar faces gone!
Crashes cum clashes not found!
Excesses can't be curbed
For in this mess, I swallow its stone.
Friends, Kins - I long for them presence
This desire is quite a lust for me
Yet, I embrace it wholly.
Soldiers! Unsheathed your swords
For the rose smells nice
Its presence - galore
Its absence - I dare not miss
Odyssey! Penelope!!
This bank be grieved its loneliness
My Queen will I see afar
The beautiful slopes
Hills of the ancient turns - Echoes
Turning against the fate of many!
My Queen,
Last days of Ithacá
Tremor quakes my spine? No!
For trust cum loyalty makes me believe in you
Lords, kings
To you I say,
To you I dare the rulers of empires
For joy mixed with sadness fill my embers
Friends
Pray for me
The Queen's strength must never wane
The joy a soldier has -
Its glory being kept.
My Queen
Being afar keeps me sane!
Will I falter? I dare not.
Will I stop loving you? Never done
Shall the love be in words? No, deeds shall tell.
Now I feel the breeze
What a feeling
What a joy
What - alas!
Strength reborn
Consciousness regained
For the days of Ithacá
A family I believe in
A world I live in
A treasure man mustn't squander
A world that reels it's strength on responsibilities
Ithacá
Dis Ithacá be life
Dis Ithacá be my Queen.
As you set out for Ithaka
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:
you’ll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.
Hope your road is a long one.
May there be many summer mornings when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you enter harbors you’re seeing for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind—
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to learn and go on learning from their scholars.
Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you’re destined for.
But don’t hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you’re old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.
Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
This poem was written by Constantine P Cavafy (1863–1933)
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
I once said never, sure I’d outrun the weight that shaped my mother’s obese life;
yet, like Mother, food was my Calypso, it held me close, sirens singing songs of self-loathing.
at twenty-eight, I drifted far from home, three hundred pounds from who I’d been.
I faced the mirror like Odysseus sighting Ithaca after years of uncertainty,
and I confronted ego, my one-eyed Cyclops, whose glare kept me from seeing my truth.
the journey home meant leaving behind habits, islands where I’d lingered too long~
never say never echoed like Odysseus’ vow to crewmen convinced they’d never return.
I learned the body’s architecture can change when faith and courage steady life's helm again.
for forty years I’ve lived within the home I reclaimed, its walls earned and steady.
never say never means trusting the heart to navigate storms and still reach shore.