Our world is full of danger and so many heed the Siren’s deadly call. God’s prophetic word is to be our guide, but the Sirens of the world twist and distort the message. Once in the Siren’s embrace, all is lost even though the captive believes all is gained.
An adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey tells just that story.
UlyssesRevisited
A drifting imperceptible note,
Pierced deep within Ulysses’ boat.
His sleep became a restless blur,
As soon a glowering vision stirred.
The prophet spoke from many ages,
Books foretold the words of sages.
Do not the way of Sirens go,
Else bind thyself and crew to row.
With sweated brow Ulysses woke,
And frantic knew the course he’d yoke.
On deck the distance, yielded land,
As winds unleashed an eerie strand.
With instinct hands crushed hard his lobes,
Yet notes within did ring and probe.
His orders never were so clear,
Each crewman’s ears anon to hear.
The men were shackled to their oars,
Bound to race by yonder shore.
But ringing notes drove reason dead,
As Ulysses, mast-tied, looked lands stead.
Releasing hands the chords charged in,
Like drumbeats through an anguished din.
His eyes lit up as ne’er before,
For now he saw beyond life’s door.
The notes they burst within his soul,
His thoughts propelled to worlds untold.
The prophet’s words were vain you see,
Words now so clearly old and mean.
The men they rowed with fear and pain,
Their shackles cutting bulging veins.
Their Captain screamed on deadened ears,
The men could see but mad man’s leers.
Except for one, who curious leaned,
Pulled out one plug a moment it seemed.
Twas nothing now he quick presumed,
Why worry over such words of doom.
But quiet note bounced through his ear,
Like echoes round an upper tier.
They spoke to him a different view,
Of captain sane and needing crew.
The Sirens now could clear be seen,
Angelic, pleading, soft and clean.
The oarsman thrust his plugs away,
And knew the truth now held full sway.
The Captain ordered all to halt,
One only heard his words assault.
Commissioned now to right transgressions,
His oars soon cracked ‘gainst frantic aggression.
Freed now to heed his Captain’s call,
Ulysses’ ropes cut off did fall.
Embracing with their purpose clear,
All men would soon be freed to hear.
Now with resolve they gladly rowed,
Hard toward the land and their abode.
The voices called like ne’er before,
The rocks beneath no one cared for.
Strong they were with fear adrift,
The bow crashed first and then aft lift.
The breakers sliced it well in half,
As men submerged without a raft.
They came out bruised and fully drained,
Sure, lives spared as God’s ordained.
Ashore they crawled to welcome chatter,
Held so close that nothing mattered.
Exhausted, lay among the Sirens,
Ignoring bones and munching lions.
Soothed and coddled life it seemed,
Meandered like a peaceful stream.
The sweet sweet sounds and loving smiles,
Hid razor teeth and smirking wiles.
Held close the punctures felt like bliss,
As each man’s color dimmed a bit.
Through days and weeks their frames did shrink,
Until one day did skelt’n think.
Then left there was but great Ulysses,
A step away from his enlistees.
The skin was tight around his bones,
Life’s blood so thin it hardly shone.
Ulysses smiled into her face,
The prophet ne’er would know such grace.
Ralph Wendt