I have lived in important places, times
When great events were decided, who owned
That half a rood of rock, a no-man's land
Surrounded by our pitchfork-armed claims.
I heard the Duffys shouting "Damn your soul!"
And old McCabe stripped to the waist, seen
Step the plot defying blue cast-steel -
"Here is the march along these iron stones."
That was the year of the Munich bother. Which
Was more important? I inclined
To lose my faith in Ballyrush and Gortin
Till Homer's ghost came whispering to my mind.
He said: I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance.
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Gratitude
From guest Thomas Fleming (contact)
Thanks for putting up this fine poem. I was looking for it on the web, because I gave away my copy of Kavanagh and wanted to quote this poem to show that the apparently trivial crises in the Balkans may mean more than Americans might think. As a Hellenist, I can say he is spot on in his invocation of Homer. -
homers ghost
From guest Karen McGilligan (contact)
who is homers ghost, and what is it a reference to? -
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NOMER'S Ghost
Homer was a classic greek poet regarded as a true genius. By mentioning his ghost he is saying that he suddenly realized how Homer was inspired by such things. -
Homer is the author of two of the greatest epic poems of all time. The Iliad and the Odyssey and Kavanagh is refering to the spirit of this longdead writer.
http://oldpoetry.com/oauthor/show/Homer
Jim
Oldpoetry Research Team
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