7 January 2019 – The One – An Introduction

And now for something completely different . . . as is often announced on The Monty Python Show, a comedy series hailing from England. In contrast, today begins an epic poem that is not on the humorous side, but neither does it carry undue darkness. I have been working on this epic poem, intermittently, for over twenty years. Long gaps intersperse periods of serious effort attending to this work that is approaching 200 pages. Yes, we’re in this for the long haul. The presentation of this story bares a minimal resemblance to Wannaska World (a sister narrative effort of Wannaskan Almanac’s writers in mid-2018) in that both Wannaska World and The One are written in serialized form, and both are stories. But that’s where the resemblance ends. 

Epics have been written around the globe for thousands of years. Perhaps the oldest is The Epic of Gilgamesh, from Sumeria (modern-day Iraq), written some time prior to 2000 BCE. From neighboring Iran, written in the 10th and 11th century comes Shanameh, the longest epic poem written by one person, Ferdowsi. An anonymous writer created Beowulf a thousand years ago employing over 3,000 alliterative lines. India offers the Mahabharata written 300 years prior to the Christian Era. Scandinavia gave us multiple sagas about their heroes. Iceland has its Saga of Grettir the Strong from the 13th century. And of course, the famous epic, The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri, counts among the more famous epics with its guide, Beatrice who leads the Comedy’s protagonist through multiple worlds. 

Perhaps the most well-known epic poet is Homer, Greek author of both of the 8th century BCE’s The Odyssey, and The Iliad. The first follows the flawed hero, Odysseus, who endures hardship and who enjoys adventure as he makes his ten-year way home from Troy to Ithaca where he is king. The latter is the story of the final weeks of the Trojan War wherein many kings and warriors, the greatest among them, Achilles, participated. 

The One follows in the tradition of this long line of powerful epics, yet is singular in its own ways. Of all epics mentioned above (and more), Homer’s Odyssey has had the most influence on my writing. I’ve referred to The One as “an Odyssey for the 21st century.” This long-running story has been a great inspiration to me; therefore, I’ve fashioned several elements of The One as a way to pay homage to Homer. Both books are about a hero. Odysseus is a king; our protagonist is an ordinary person; yet, both undertake a mighty journey over many, many years. Each has particular challenges to both personal ethics and to integrity. Both have one foot in the conventional world; the other foot stands firmly in the domain of myth complete with supernatural beings and great challenges for the main character. The Odyssey has 24 books; The One has 23 songs in three movements.

The first segment of The One appears below. Additional posts will appear approximately every other week, alternating with other poems I’ve written, as well as poetry by writers I believe worth your time.

I will be your guide, your Beatrice, on this long journey, and add commentary for each installment of the story. I hope you will make this exploration with me, crossing over into the world of heroes and villains, dragons, and witches. The main character’s first adventure is one that every single living entity travels once in a lifetime. It shouldn’t be difficult to navigate. The story unfolds from there, one event, one experience at a time, just like any life, and because this story is about a hero’s life, it will take some time to tell. We may be together a very long time. I hope that you will enjoy reading The One as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Here is a short Preface to the story to set the tone and mood:

Symphonies flooding the ocean . . .

. . . Think of whales singing. They sing because they have something to say, and for pleasure.  It is said that a whale song originated in one ocean can be heard by whales in all oceans who pick up the song, embellish it, and voice their own sounds that then resonate around the planet. Waves of whale song rumbling in the oceans.

The One presents a series of songs for all singers – for those who swim in dark, frigid oceans where melody arises seldom, as well as for those who bask in warm waters surrounded by the sounds of others of their kind. On our joint journeys, we all pass through the same oceans and sing our countless songs.  How wonderful to know that others voyage with us. Listen now with an open heart for the melodies, and let the song roll on.

FIRST MOVEMENT                                   

ARRIVING

SONG ONE    

DARK WATERS

Deep in the womb I begin the long dark swim

across a shimmering border from here

to where I will begin again

I am a fast, black ship striking fiercely

traversing a fog-gray sea

from who I was to who I soon will be

                                                

Enveloped in dark waters I swim ceaseless

            rhythms ‘round me, a star, breathing submerged 

I swim with the vast currents’ pulsing sounds

Hidden inside them, I sense darker things

swelling within the shivering sea spray

A vibrant tremor, a long-stroked shudder

            disturbs the currents’ beat and trembles waves

            razing my skin and churning the ocean’s 

gauzy light within and darkness in motion

The sea greys and glowers as swelling waves rise

my tiny arms stroke, feet flutter behind

a keening howl of wind vexing water . . .

. . . then a twisted bellow swallowing whole

spewing domed sky with four recurring bleak sounds – 

“Do not . . . begin. Do not begin.”

A red beacon’s light sweeps the roiled sea-face

            timeless beacon warns me, “Away! Away!”

I track the howling’s source—bearing hard right 

            listening through heartbeats, I hone in and hunt

this unknown unwanted unwelcome voice

            calling me back to ruin in a stagnant

blank void where I remember sleeping long

A dim place where I’ll no longer return 

            because I swim in sweet-breathing waters

            immersed – carried in ruby blood-currents 

Still, the four-note chant persists, moans louder

            as I dead-reckon for its long hall far    

inside the swallowing storm with no stars

Asudden I see the source of the voice:

a wraith formed of vapor and salty steam

writhing and twisting above the great sea

completely aware that I swim so near

            it tolls four anguished notes pressing my skull 

            splitting all trapped in its massive iron bell

If I enter, I will be ripped by song

            torn and released back to oblivion

So, I tread circles beneath the water

listening, considering unfathomable sound 

rumbling and shaking this intimate sea 

I consider the darkness lately left

            whose calm depths call to inanimate state

No path back to hollowness now – not ever

            seizing this sound-form calling for me 

                                                “Do not begin.  

  Do not be”

                                    

Current flows faster coursing in my blood

Even if I wanted to go, return 

winds have failed me.  I am caught in the flood

a rush toward fainter sound -- a call from shore

                                                “Re-member   Re-member

                                                  You are       You are”

The four-note lament and the call from shore -

the crack between two voices splits me down

            center buckling my hull   crushing surges

            founder my bearings     rhythmic beat rushes

until I recall only the blackness

                        my own mouth unsound     a remembered cadence . . .

. . . freed from storm, backed by a following wind

my full-bellied canvas skims inner seas

crests and falls where I swim with dolphin fins 

            gliding closer to where I will begin

            my hull rises and sinks in ceaseless blows

                        black void behind me and darkness ahead

                        and sea’s systolic pulse deep in my head

                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Song One . . . to be continued on 14 January 2019.