Greek 306: Homer

Derek Walcott spent most of his life reading and rewriting Homer. He grew up next to the sea and, like Odysseus, has a strong feeling towards is country-island. I met him in Italy this summer and I definitely fall in love with his poetry. Here is an example, the beginning of his “Odyssey”.

Derek Walcott, Act One, Prologue. The Odyssey
 
 
Billy Blue (Sings)
 
Gone sing ‘bout that man because his stories please us,
Who saw trails and tempests for ten years after Troy.
 
I’m Blind Billy Blue, my main man’s see-smart Odysseus,
Who the God of the Sea drove crazy and tried to destroy.
 
Andra moi ennepe mousa polutropon hos mala polla…
The shuttle of the sea moves back and forth on this line,
 
All night, like the surf, she shuttles and doesn’t fall
Asleep, then her rosy fingers at dawn unstitch the design.
 
When you hear this chord
(Chord)
                Look for a swallow’s wings,
A swallow arrowing seaward like a messenger
 
Passing smoke-blue islands, happy that the kings
Of Troy are going home and its ten years’ siege is over.
 
So my blues drifts like smoke from the fire of that war
Cause once Achilles was ashes, things sure fell apart.
 
Slow-striding Achilles, who put the hex on Hector
A swallow twitters in Troy. That’s where we start.
 
(Exit)