Forgotten Ground Regained
Dedication for a Shrine of Apollo
(Horace, Odes, 1.29),
What is the poets prayer · to enshrined Apollo?What does he wish for · as he lets the new winespill from the saucer? Not for rich Sardinia'sfruit-bearing fields · not for feverish Calabria'seye-pleasing plow-cattle, not for a whole pileof goods from the Ganges · of ivory and gold,not lands slowly swallowed · by the silent Liriswith its stream of soft-flowing · nearly still waters.Let them who good fortune grants · use of the grapevineof Calenia keep it · well-clipped with the sickle.Let the rich merchant guzzle · from golden gobletsthe wines that he won ·with his Syrian wares:The gods love that man: they must, since he managesto look on the leagues · of the distant Atlanticand returns to tell of it · three times a year.But as for myself, if I have mild mallows,small olives and succory · that's plenty for supper.Just keep me healthy, happy with what I have;Let me stay, Latona's son, reasonably sane,and don't let my dotage · be something disgraceful.
Copyright © Kevin Corbett, 2016
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