On island cliffs of Ogygia I stand
Awaiting tall ships; approaching the land
Enchanting the mariners with a song
As I lull them to sleep, before the long
Be condemned to an absent existence
Sealing wax, be thine only resistance
So if by thy troth my music ye loved
And lashed to the mast so that ye be gloved
Thus I lull you to sleep, before the long
Capture your soul with my mystical song
‘Twas so; on this island all pleasures be
That my desire ‘twas a dream of thee
For the love of my song and my controls
I bid you good-morrow to all dead souls
Author notes
Sonnet
Siren Acheloides Σειρήνες
Seamen who sailed near were decoyed with the Sirens' enchanting music to shipwreck on the rocky coast, and the Sirens devoured them. Odysseus was curious as to what the Sirens sounded like, so he had all his sailors plug their ears with beeswax and tied him to the mast. He ordered his men to leave him tied to the mast, no matter how much he would beg.
The Sirens (Acheloides) were daughters of the river-god Achelous and a Muse. They had been nymphs and playmates of Persephone, and for not protecting her when she was carried off by Pluto, they were transformed into beings half-woman and chalf-bird by Demeter. Later they were transformed into half-woman and half-fish.
Calypso was a nymph, the daughter of the Titan Atlas. In Greek mythology, Calypso was a sea nymph who inhabited the island of Ogygia. After the last of Odysseus' men had perished at sea, she waylaid the homeward-bound Odysseus. Odysseus himself was washed ashore on Ogygia, where Calypso became enamored of him, taking him as her lover and promising him immortality if he would stay with her. Odysseus refused her offer, wishing to return home to Ithaca and to his wife, Penelope. But Calypso refused to let him leave, and held him prisoner for seven years. Finally Athena complained of Odysseus' plight to Zeus, and Zeus sent Hermes to Ogygia to order Calypso to set Odysseus free. Calypso complied reluctantly, allowing Odysseus to construct a small boat and set sail from the island.
Related information Pronunciation {ka-lip'-so}
In a list
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Comments
1 - 32 of 32
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A most beautiful and moving write, love the text of greek myth breakdown accompaning this peice, the sonnet is full of life, creating a beauty for this sad song.
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Mystical and enchanting, it really takes one back in time. Awesome job!
I'm sure I've read about this before..I'll have to come back later after digging up some notes..
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This was very well done. I loved just about everything about this poem and it's form. Very well done. The information on the topic was very handy to have. It made complete understanding of your words.
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If all history lessons were written like this perhaps I would have enjoyed history just a bit more in HS
Ruth
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Ah finally something I am more familiar with as evidenced by my screen-name (Ithica) I changed one letter to make it my own but the analogy is one and the same. I thinks the Sirens ARE the most notorious of your demon series to us average citizens. So far this has been a fantastic series of poems, with one to go...
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Good job. I do have one criticism before praising you. I think when you say "Sealing wax, be ye only resistance" you should say "your". Perhaps you used ye to do some internal rhyme with be, or perhaps because it conveys that stereotypical "sailor" voice if you know what I allude to, or perhaps because you just wish to convey you speak to many people, or keep the "ye" constant as you had been. I just found myself tripping over the "ye", and thine might work better even than your, as your is too harsh I think. But that is just a suggestion. After knowing to prepare myself for it, it was easier.
I like how you the voice of this poems speaks seductively, almost alluring like the sirens themselves, yet at the words "Be condemned to an absent existence/Sealing wax, be ye only resistance" you conveyed a judgemental air, as if the souls were being condemned to Hell for their lust. I was reminded of Charon's condemnation to the damned in the Inferno. I think you do well at conveying various feelings in the sonnet. For example there is one of the curiousity that leads men to their death by the sirens, and that seduction too. And yet, it is also a song of warning and I even take it as a warning against lusting and how in the end it lead to death, but perhaps that is because I often write in such an allegorical style
The poem is very apt for the siren's song. Conveys confusion. Seeming good in the sirens voice, yet the death it leads to. Well done.
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I figure if I want to learn how
to write sonnets and other forms
of poetry, I better start going
through your archives...sigh...you
make it look too easy, and it is NOT!
This sonnet is superb. Oh, well, back
to the drawing board...
Love, Lane
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Excellent! I love mythology, and this with its ancient tongue was terrific sounding! I also love sonnets, so this was absolutely awesome! The only part that seemed awkward was the bit about being "lashed to a mast so that ye be gloved" Not quite clear on the whole glove thing, but it hardly detracts anything from the piece.
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According to the Old English Dictionary. "gloved" means to be bound or tied up. I realize I may have the centuries off as this is 10 century and the term is 13th century.
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*Holds up hands*
All right fine, you win, it's perfect. ^_^
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I'm not very familiar with this particular legend, just a vague recollection of some general folklore on sirens so I didn't grasp the rest of the myths you've referenced. However, I still found it enjoyable to read, wonderful flow and rhythm!
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Again another very wonderful poem Excellent rhyme where nothing is forced. The poem seems to chant along. Very good.
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This is a very nicely written poem on the Greek stories.. Nice meter, flow, rhythm and rhyme.... I love sonnetts, they read very well.. the only thing is deisre, is three syllable's, making on of your lines 11 syllables instead of 10... I am a little confused by your authors notes, as from what I have read and studied over the past 10 years kind of contradicts alot of your notes, but other than that, a really great read, well done!!
thank you for entering my contest and good luck..
peace and light always. -
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Wow! you're right! I made desire a poetic contraction thus dropping a syllable.
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Very intresting topic, well written.
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The Greek Mythology and Tragedy Contest has been judged. This was an extremely difficult task due to all of your entries being fabulous. I had to narrow it down to just a few for the trophies and the criteria that I used for this was the following:
1. Originality
2. Interpretation and Application
3. Emotion and/or depth of thought
4. Form, flow and style
5. Sentence structure, grammar and punctuation
I placed more emphasis on the first three criteria than the last two. Although style and grammar are important to me as well, I do look for uniqueness, application and depth in a write more than perfect form and spelling. That's just me personally, for this particular contest.
Also, a little more consideration was given to new writes... but I cannot stress enough what a challenge this contest was to judge because ALL of the entries were so good. I worked up some extra points to give the remaining entries an Honorable Mention with a bonus of 30 points each because I felt that all of the poems were worthy of merit. I loved every one of them! Also, I am including all of your poems on my List of Greek Mythology and Tragedy Favorites on my page, so that I easily reference them in the future to read.
Again, thanks for all of your wonderful poems and I enjoyed reading all of them.
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The Greek Mythology and Tragedy Contest is over. All of your entries were impressive and it's going to be a hard to choose among a few favorites for the trophies, as well as the others for Honorable Mention. You all deserve a prize here! They were all fantastic and I derived great pleasure from reading them. I will need a few days to decide, and I may even take up to a week to read the poems over and make careful choices. Thank you again, my beloved Poets for your beautiful and thoughtful entries into this contest. You are appreciated more that you can realize. Regards, Love and Peace
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A pleasant Spencerian Sonnet you did here! Your author's note was very informative regarding the history of this myth. Fascinating about the Sirens being daughters of the river-god Achelous and a Muse. I did not know that they had been nymphs and playmates of Persephone, that were transformed into beings of half-woman and half-bird by Demeter for not protecting her daughter when she was carried off by Pluto. Very interesting, and you weaved a lovely sonnet about Ulysses and Calypso.
This was my favorite part of the poem;
Thus I lull you to sleep, before the long
Capture your soul with my mystical song
‘Twas so; on this island all pleasures be
That of my desire ‘twas a dream of thee
For the love of my song and my controls
I bid you good-morrow to all dead souls,
especially, "That of my desire ‘twas a dream of thee"...exquisitely expressed...!
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ANOTHER DARK MASTERPIECE
grrr.. the last one was my favorite, now i read this one.. you're not making easy, are ya.. dark poetess..
red roses
p.s i think you and i need to make a series together, it will be awesome..
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ah yes, i know well the legends of Calypso and the voyages of Odyssius... good work on this poem anyways, it is a most well done retelling of the legend, and a joy to see as the retelling of homer's works are far and few between on AP. I've done a few myself, but haven't found many others who find joy in the same sorts of things. Great work anyways and thanks for entering, good luck in the contest.
(the only thing i was never able to figure about that legend was the wax in ears bit... i mean, if the sailors had wax in their ears... how could they hear Odyssius beg to be let go anyways? it makes his cautioning rather invalid) -
Sister of mine...
your tremendous knowledge
gives a flair to your poetic skill
that is unmatched by any other I have ever read...
I so thoroughly believe
that you should be writing
for a much bigger audience
than just for those that love you
here on AP...
a world of poetic fans awaits you.
xoxo
Heidi
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Your comments are just too sweet. If I was writing for just you that is reward enough.
Love, Amera
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I have heard this song. It sounds like three angels singing in quartertones, with each having a silght vibrato that modulates the pitch ever so slightly, the result is a mesmerizing world of subaudible to superaudible overtones which boggle the mind. It was astoundingly beautiful and I hope to recreate it one day. Your poem is beautiful in the same way, as it uses imagery that is a little off the beaten path to create a tale of exotic and exquisite beauty. Three Ελληνικά for you!
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Amera
this is not only a very well done poem but like a piece of art up for auction at one of the two bigger auction houses. very nice work dear, very nice.
What I find truly Ironic is that I heard the Siren's call today as well and I had no sealing wax nor mast to be tied to. Somedays I wonder what in the hell I have gotten myself into! I gotta do a book before I die...which might be soon. LOL!
will you buy me a headstone?
love ya
Dad
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Holy Moly-
Magnificent piece You have versed my Friend
Love the form You brought forth and also the
story which captivates~
Love the Author's Notes for that helps for readers
to inhale the mythology
Powerful piece penned!
Best wishes to You in the contest
Many blessings too
and much love~ Desire~*~
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Desire
I love your comments and the way you read my poems. Thank you
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Very well done
She is one of my mythical favorites along with Nyx and Eris. I have a soft spot for the ladies of darkness and desctruction. You can almost hear this as a song if you listen close. Thank goodness things like this no longer happen! -
An intriguing tale of myth and rhyme I of course have heard of this but never read the story so your author note is much appreciated and lends a better understanding to the poem.
A very well written poem, too and I like the old English verbiage. I wish you good luck in the contest... this seems like a winner to me
Dee
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wonderfully written.
love the use of old english.
used correctly even, wonderful, lyrical.
thanks for the read
*kat* -
beutiful intrigrting and i also love your little history on odysseus, i love that stroy. your sonnet seem to be writ in the old style i love it
thanks for entering
~~Chef W.B.
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Wee Beastie
Thank you so much for your comment and your applause.
Love,
Amera
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