When Alexander sacked Thebes, he spared only Pindar’s house.
Homer, who are you? One man or many?
The first to master a true alphabet.
We see your shadow, translation filtered, with
Undiminished power to move our hearts.
Unsentimental, riveting war reporter -
Unflinching eye on battle gore
with graphic image, earthy metaphor -
recounting war’s horrendous harsh beauty.
Studied by Alexander, quoted by Patton.
Some think our foreign policy advisors
should analyze your epics - manuals
of courage, human emotion, chance and fate.
Anthologies are full of master works
of poets long since dead, while you alone
have moved to shelves of politics and war.
Why do you enjoy that special place?
The Chronicler of war’s necessity,
uncertainty and cost. War will happen,
with enemies, beings just like us,
caught in the endless circle of death and life.
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