To The Night
July 6, 2023The Russian Mind
July 6, 2023A Zacinto
I’ll never step ashore and feel your beach
the way I felt it as a barefoot child,
or see you waver in the windy reach
of goddess-bearing sea. You were the island
Venus made with her first smile,
Zakynthos, the moment she was born.
No song embraced your leafy sky,
not even his who sang the fatal storm
and how Ulysses, his misfortunes past
and beautiful with fame, sailed home at last.
Some will not return: I too
offend the powers that be, am banned
from home. Oh maternal land,
my words are all I have to send to you
Ugo Foscolo
Ugo Foscolo (1778-1827) was an Italian writer and poet who is known for his works dealing with themes of exile, patriotism, and personal loss. His most famous work, "Dei Sepolcri," is a meditation on death and the power of poetry to preserve memory. Foscolo was also a prominent figure in Italian literary circles, and he played a major role in shaping the Romantic movement.