Miank, Timothy

English

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AmaranthusVolume 1976 | Issue 2 Article 112-12-2013On the Ancients and, I Guess, the Modern MindTimothy MiankGrand Valley State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/amaranthusThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Amaranthus by an authorizedadministrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact scholarworks@gvsu.edu.Recommended CitationMiank, Timothy (1976) "On the Ancients and, I Guess, the Modern Mind," Amaranthus: Vol. 1976: Iss. 2, Article 11.Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/amaranthus/vol1976/iss2/11On the Ancients and, I Guess, The Modern Mind What freedoms do the ancients give To followers who then must live When thoughtful remedies are done? Of freedoms ancients give us none, Except to tell that when we look No answers live within a book. Sweet Homer--how could he employ A wooden horse within great Troy? This bard, who praised all bloody death And sang aloud Hector's last breath, Makes war seem worthy of the trust We place beneath the reddened dust. Old Aristophanes did say That sex prevents the black decay Of war when women join the fight And keep their lovers home at night. Did he not know that wars are bought While innocence, asleep, is caught? (Continued)16 On the Ancients (Continued And also Greek Euripi( He pitied passion's poor dj When violent mothers kill ~ All innocence must go, and Must know no easy choice tc The tavern of the eager min Sweet Virgil wrote the Which made Augustus' eyes t With pride for the great ci Where multitudes were born Oh, Virgil were your writin To fill your pockets of the Grand Seneca, the Romal Was in the government entwil He fingered all the city trl While Nero fiddled for his I Such open minds indeed disp The grandeur of the Roman w 17 1, I Guess, The Modern Mind :1e ancient s give hen must live medies are done? ts give us none, t when we look thin a book. how could he employ hin great Troy? Lised all bloody death :tor's last breath, ·thy of the trust :he reddened dust. LUes did say the black decay join the fight 'ers home at night. lat wars are bought ,sleep, is caught? (Continued)16 On the Ancients (Continued) And also Greek Euripides; He pitied passion's poor disease~ When violent mothers kill all youth All innocence must go, and truth Must know no easy choice to find The tavern of the eager mind. Sweet Virgil wrote the Roman theme Which made Augustus' eyes to stream With pride for the great city-state Where multitudes were born to fate. Oh, Virgil were your writings sold To fill your pockets of the gold? Grand Seneca, the Roman mind Was in the government entwined; He fingered all the city treasure While Nero fiddled for his pleasure. Such open minds indeed display The grandeur of the Roman way: (Continued) 17 On the .~cients (Continued) And Horace, though he lit the fire Beneath the seat of great satire, Did leave for Juvenal to play The hottest lyric of the day. Were such criticisms wise When burned so near to frozen eyes? As one is forced to throw abuse At ancients, let one make a truce; It's not that ancient thought is bad, But only human, so be glad ~ And as for answers, let me find ~y truths within my human mind. --Timothy Miank 18 To A Woman I do not imagine you know how You lack the grace of empathy, The orgasmic moment between tr And the act. You would ratheI Bring me pails of leaves and \ Through the doors of your memc The world, though they are loc Through your veins the roaring Its silvered body to the edge Burning hair. Enclothed in the sound of bell Enfolded in the sweep of cloud Swinging like a mad child, you Would murder antelopes and dre Of copulating with god. If your dreams were only water I would gladly drown for your I have known too many mornings When your eyes would bleed, wh Your mineral walls dissolved a Convulsed in a tree-bare cove Could I but flow through the h Arm to fill you with the disea Then all the statues of your rn Might crumble at last and turn Your pain to lust. But how can one so full of dyi Evade the thick-fleshed moon In the bowed motion of its yea Lacking any other means than t To tongue the silver spoon and Thorn by thorn, I will taste your lips. 19 

On the Ancients and, I Guess, the Modern Mind

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On the Ancients and, I Guess, the Modern Mind

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