On Writing #1

define what makes good writing Eurylochus

Eury was at the third oar

arms up and down
push and pull
row slow

arms up and down
push and pull
row slow

i think, master
up and down
one must
push and pull
do it
row slow
again and again

cafe blues

well, it had been a pretty long time
well into 20 years
argos had passed
Os' mother had passed
his father had passed

one fine greek morn
O happened to wake
dawn stretching all rosy
from her dark blue cape
and thought he'd
walk down to the local coffee shop

it was early
and he was one of the first to order
it was a light roast
little bit of cream
you would think a hero
would take it black
but we are well into 20 years

An empty
clean
well-lighted
cafe
O sat, with coffee
near the window
staring out
the Aegan blue so blue

what does an old hero
think about with a cup of good coffee
sitting in front a blinding blue window
early morn's
zephyrs stirring

he thinks like
most mere middle aged
mortals

he thinks like
most men who loved their childhood
past

he thinks
this getting old is not so bad
but that it is not so good

he thinks back
and forth
like that

he wonders
sipping,
staring,
solving

something about battle
something Odysseus knew a lot
about

but this was a different battle
about
coming to terms

of youth
of aging
of grappling with
truth
and with beauty

and how
that is not really
all you need to know

because he is raging
for the soul
a deep dying
for the light
for one more journey
one more adventure

and he feels a little sad
sitting, at the cafe

shouldn't he be driving
to the coast
setting the sails
for a morning surf

the cafe thickens
O thought if he were to write this as a poem
he would have to edit the long chain of verse

because who wants to read
about a man growing old
wishing he had one more chance?

when will endless desire
retire?

Some days, of course - early morn or sunset glass - waves were meant to ride - even Poseidon knows this.

Some days, the swells were worth painting

nausicaa

upon the coast of nausikaa

boys and their ball games

odysseus and his men
bored again in another doldrum
even coleridge would envy
suddenly spied upon
a white coast of laundry
hung out to dry
like a long flag of surrender
and it is there where his men
paddled, surfing to shore
where nausikaa the beautiful
laundry keeper and wife of tele
and their son perseptolis
happily lived

athena at it again,
with a small family reunion
odysseus, grandfather
of persept, and happy to be on shore
with his family broke out into
a game of wiffle ball

odysseus, a little old,
could still manage a swirly curve ball
but it was no match for his blonde haired grandson,
persept, who smashed the plastic sphere
sending perimedes to the wall of carob

odysseus charmed and smiled
his ancient smile
upon his boys
as they rounded the bases