History often feels like a statue in a museum-cold, distant, and untouchable. Yet, when poetry breathes life into marble and myth, the past does not merely speak; it sings. In a recent gathering hosted by the Society of Classical Poets, the boundary between the ancient world and the modern ear dissolved. Hosted by British poet James Sale, the “Classical Figures” reading became a stage where historical giants and mythological icons walked once more among the living.
The event was not just a recitation but a resurrection. Poets and readers from across the globe converged to lend their voices to figures who have shaped the bedrock of Western civilization. From the shadowed paths of the Inferno to the silent contemplation of philosophers, the evening traced a lineage of thought and beauty that refuses to fade.
A Dantesque Beginning
The presence of Dante Alighieri loomed large over the proceedings, fitting for a poet who traversed hell, purgatory, and heaven to understand the human soul. The reading served as a culmination for the “100 Days of Dante Poetry Competition,” weaving the Florentine poet’s legacy into contemporary verse.
Painting of Dante Alighieri walking through a Florentine landscape by Jean-Léon Gérôme
Professor Angela O’Donnell offered “Dante’s Song,” a piece that likely captured the rhythmic heartbeat of the Commedia itself. Complementing this was Nicholas Walz’s “Papa’s Commedia,” suggesting a more personal, perhaps familial intersection with the great epic. These works remind us that Dante is not merely a figure of the 14th century but a constant companion to those who navigate the dark woods of their own lives.
Sculpting Sound and Thought
The program shifted from the spiritual intensity of Dante to the intellectual rigor of the ancients. James A. Tweedie‘s reading, “Contemplating Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer,” presented a delightful layer of meta-cognition. It is a poem observing a philosopher observing a poet-a chain of reverence that stretches back continuously through time.
In contrast to the silent gaze of stone busts, Gail Kathleen Jardine’s “Silver Fire,” read by Michael Pietrack, brought a kinetic energy to the session. The title alone suggests purification and brilliance, elements that often accompany the arduous journey of artistic creation. The voice of the reader served as the vessel, carrying the heat of the poem to the audience, bridging the gap between the written word and the felt experience.
Myths, Mornings, and Destiny
The thematic arc of the reading expanded beyond history into the realm of myth and the sacred. Andrew Benson Brown’s “Aurora” invoked the dawn, a classical symbol of renewal and the relentless cycle of light conquering dark. It is in these moments that poetry performs its oldest function: translating the natural world into the language of the divine.
Drama took center stage with “Three Fates” by Cheryl Corey. Read by Joseph Sale, this performance was noted for its theatrical weight, embodying the terrifying inevitability of the Moirai who spin, measure, and cut the thread of life. The interplay between Corey’s text and Sale’s delivery highlighted how spoken word can transform a poem into a spell, holding the listener captive to the destiny unfolding in the stanza.
The Celestial and the Sacred
As the event traversed these varied landscapes, it touched upon the quiet majesty of the cosmos and the calendar of faith. Jillian Bober’s “Stars,” read by Evan Mantyk, likely turned the gaze upward. The classical tradition has always looked to the heavens for order and meaning, finding in the constellations a mirror for human virtue.
Rounding out the sacred themes was Cynthia Erlandson’s “Easter Monday.” In the classical tradition, the specific and the universal often merge; a single day on the calendar becomes a vessel for exploring redemption, loss, and hope. These readings demonstrated that whether the subject is a Greek god, a Renaissance poet, or a star in the night sky, the classical spirit remains a vital, breathing force in modern literature.
Painting of Dante Alighieri walking through a Florentine landscape by Jean-Léon Gérôme
