The Grapevine Art & Soul Salon
Museum: Place of the Muses
A salon chamber dedicated to Ivan Edwin Lester, 12/29/48--03/14/07
Elegy for Ivan on the Fifth Anniversary of His Departure
The day we buried your father
nine years ago, we did not know
that next to go among our intimates
would be you, my love.
nine years ago, we did not know
that next to go among our intimates
would be you, my love.
Your mother Manta mourned her second loss
and heard my regret that your life
with me was only l7 years
a span longer than most marriages nowadays
but not long enough to use up
our interest in each other.
and heard my regret that your life
with me was only l7 years
a span longer than most marriages nowadays
but not long enough to use up
our interest in each other.
Philosopher (you had at least a thousand
books in your library, and you read them all
and could recall and recite from the mouths
of Achilles, Hamlet, Juliet
lines that sang in your mind).
books in your library, and you read them all
and could recall and recite from the mouths
of Achilles, Hamlet, Juliet
lines that sang in your mind).
Lover (of ideas and art, plants and cats
and me, unconditionally, and
full of sacred and sensual gestures
that seemed the same coming from
your body of love).
and me, unconditionally, and
full of sacred and sensual gestures
that seemed the same coming from
your body of love).
Man of many dimensions
and multifarious flames burning
on altars to Hermes, Apollo, Aphrodite
Hecate, Isis, Mary:
and multifarious flames burning
on altars to Hermes, Apollo, Aphrodite
Hecate, Isis, Mary:
May the Chorus of Muses make
of your ashes some new astonishing thing
worthy of your genius and your life.
of your ashes some new astonishing thing
worthy of your genius and your life.
Copyright 2012, Barbara Knott. All Rights Reserved