Thetis was a goddess, so the fact that she was immortal heightened her sense of the mortality of her son Achilles, but a sense of mortality is common to all parents. This week we saw yet another school shooting to remind us of that, plus of course all the other news stories that remind us, week after week after week, all year long.
Happy Mother's Day!
Youth
by Tom Sleigh
Smelling of sweet resin the Aleppo pines’ shadows grow taller by the hour. Two identical twin boys chase each other through the shadows, the one who’s ten minutes older yelling, I’m gonna kill you while the younger one laughs, Kill me, kill me if you can! Day by day these teatime mortars keep pecking at the blast wall that the boys have grown so used to they just keep right on playing. If they weren’t here in front of me, I’d find them hard to imagine, just as I sometimes find my own twin brother hard to imagine. I’m supposed to be doing a story on soldiers, what they do to keep from being frightened, but all I can think about is how Tim would chase me or I’d chase him and we’d yell, I’m gonna kill you, just like these brothers do, so alive in their bodies, just as Tim who is so alive will one day not be: will it be me or him who first dies? But I came here to do a story on soldiers and how they keep watching out for death and manage to fight and die without going crazy— the boys squat down to look at ants climbing through corrugated bark, the wavering antennae tapping up and down the tree reminding me of the soldier across the barracks sitting still inside himself, listening to his nerves while his eyes peer out at something I can’t see— when Achilles’ immortal mother came to her grieving son, knowing he would soon die, and gave him his armor and kept the worms from the wounds of his dead friend, Patroclus, she, a goddess, knew she wouldn’t be allowed to keep those same worms from her son’s body. I know I’m not his father, he’s not my son, but he looks so young, young enough to be my son—sitting on his bunk, watching out for death, trying to fight and die without going crazy, he reaches for his rifle, breaks it down, dust cover, spring, bolt carrier with piston, wiping it all down with a rag and oil, cleaning it for the second time this hour as shadows shifting through the pines bury him and the little boys and Tim and me in non-metaphorical, real life darkness where I’m supposed to be doing a story.
Here's the poem, along with links to some of Tom Sleigh's other work.This post contains a poem I wrote about Thetis a few years ago.
And here's today's roundup.
12 comments:
Ruth, this poem was kind of hard for me to read... brave choice. Happy Mother's Day to you. xo
It was a sad week for us in Denver-one more young man gone, no matter his heroism which was great, still gone. Fitting well for mothers, Ruth. We all do try to shield our children as much as we are able, send them out into the world, trusting. Enjoy your Mother's Day with your wonderful family.
Like Linda said, it's been a sad week with the loss of more young lives. This poem is new to me, but it is so true even in these times. Happy Mother's Day, Ruth!
So powerful. When will the madness end?
Oh, my. What a poem....what a story. I recently listened to Circe by Madeline Miller. It had all kinds of good, bad and ugly things of the days of the gods, demi-gods and mortals. I loved it. I'm reminded of it in this. Have a great weekend. Happy Mother's Day to you!
What a poem. It has been a hard week for too many mothers. Thank you for sharing it.
This poem left me feeling melancholy, and heartbroken for all the children and parents in America who must worry regularly about their children. I've been reading a biography of Buffy Saint Marie and listening to her music. The Universal Soldier pairs well with this poem I think.
Wow. What an incredible poem. I will share this one with my family later today.
This is such a powerful poem and one that will linger with me. Thank you for introducing me to Tom Sleigh.
This post gives me goosebumps! All the connections are here -- ancient stories, modern stories, timeless stories, mothers' day.
Your students are so lucky to have you for a teacher (and a "school mom")!
Powerful timely poem. I especially like your sharing your earlier poem "Thetis," Sadly they fit well together, thanks for all Ruth.
This is such a powerful poem. The refrain of "I'm supposed to be doing a story" makes me think of how hard it must be for reporters to wear their own armor and not get emotionally involved in the lives of people they are covering.
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