HOME | DD

Description

Recently I ran across a wonderful poem on the goddess, Athena
who was also known as Pallas. She was the Greek goddess of wisdom, poetry,
and the arts as well as being a patron deity of war. She was known as Minerva
by the Romans and is often depicted, as in this 19th century bust, wearing
.her traditional Corinthian style helmet

Of course, my first thought of Athena was not so much in the mythic sense as it was
in reference to Edgar Allan Poe's work, "The Raven," my mother's favorite poem.
While she was in high school she memorized it, and I grew up hearing
her recite it many times. Her eyes would always light up when
she thought of her favorite poetry. She could still recite it
verbatim from memory until the day she died.

So when I read myriadwhitedarkness 's outstanding poem, "Athena ,"
which everyone should really should read first to understand how this plays
off of it, I couldn't help but think of that favorite masterwork. In a way
this is not just a response poem, but also a tribute to my mother,
who I lost back in July. Here is the poem that inspired me:

AthenaI asked Wisdom for her hand,and she told me with laughing eyes,that what I think I should receive I must earn,and like marriage, the carriage of knowledge,does not stop at the altar. “You can never own me and call me yours,but strive for me always,for the love of learning shall carry you,if you let it, through the bumps and roads……of all else.”

Description

Recently I ran across a wonderful poem on the goddess, Athena
who was also known as Pallas. She was the Greek goddess of wisdom, poetry,
and the arts as well as being a patron deity of war. She was known as Minerva
by the Romans and is often depicted, as in this 19th century bust, wearing
.her traditional Corinthian style helmet

Of course, my first thought of Athena was not so much in the mythic sense as it was
in reference to Edgar Allan Poe's work, "The Raven," my mother's favorite poem.
While she was in high school she memorized it, and I grew up hearing
her recite it many times. Her eyes would always light up when
she thought of her favorite poetry. She could still recite it
verbatim from memory until the day she died.

So when I read myriadwhitedarkness 's outstanding poem, "Athena ,"
which everyone should really should read first to understand how this plays
off of it, I couldn't help but think of that favorite masterwork. In a way
this is not just a response poem, but also a tribute to my mother,
who I lost back in July. Here is the poem that inspired me:

AthenaI asked Wisdom for her hand,and she told me with laughing eyes,that what I think I should receive I must earn,and like marriage, the carriage of knowledge,does not stop at the altar. “You can never own me and call me yours,but strive for me always,for the love of learning shall carry you,if you let it, through the bumps and roads……of all else.”