Lefcothea-Maria Golgaki was born in 30-03-1977 and has been living in Athens, Greece ever since. She is married and has a 6 year old son. Apart from her certificate in translation, she has been involved in the field of ELT for the past 22 years working as a teacher at English Language Schools and at the same time as a freelance writer for English, American and Greek Publishing Houses writing English language books and teaching material. Her poetry collection was published in October 2019 by the literary magazine, Adelaide Literary Magazine. Her publishing credits include:
- Picture Tenses (Book 1, 2, 3): The Iguana Project
- e-ASY STUDY: The Iguana Project
- 4U ALL Adults Course (Levels 1, 2, 3): SO EASY
- World Wonders 3 Companion: New Editions/Heinle ELT
- 16 of Me: Adelaide Literary Magazine
Nyx, forthwith convened her children around the fire
At the far end of Cosmos where she respired
To look at the glowing ashes –they not cognizant of why–
An oracle, a prophecy, a vision of fake life
Aether, Hemera, Eris, Nemesis and Geras, among them being
Watched carefully to see –suspension of judgment–
People compelled to stare at a wall
Engulfed in delusion, plunged into blackness
Anchored they were, in the sphere of unconsciousness
Their reality that of shadows
Slaves not enlightened
Howbeit, they trust they fathom
In the realm of self-deception
Nescient of their chains, arrayed they stood
In their world of false impressions
As if for an eon, to reality immune
“Mother”, said Hemera – urgent was her manner –
“Retreat from their night and allow me to arise
To take them away from the arms of Morpheus
Should they wish to, undo their ties”
The goddess, able to verify Hemera’s claim
Acknowledged that all of them must ascend
Albeit, they were in a maze
Destroy their bonds, upon her daughter’s request
Yet, Nyx had to warn her:
“The powers of perception are too strong
The road out many won’t follow
To use coercion one must not”
“Incensed, when told the truth, they will be
Stripped of volition as they are
Sturdy resistance they will mount
Dither for a while but anon sink back”
Those were her words and then cymbals crashed
The thick walls of the prison disappeared posthaste
The locked doors opened flung
But, imagine, they decided to stay
Threnos
Daughter of Nereus
Why did you let him go?
Twofold his fate
The hero of Kleos
Sea nymph
The son you begot
Dipped in Styx
Foreordained to die, still
Your lament; long, endless – silenced
Ambrosia could not grant him immortality
The arrow wound
How will you dress it now?
Absent from his hour of death
In the thick of combat
Shields and spears; brandished, thrust
His bold hands
Seventeen days, seventeen nights
Mourn him
Prepare his body, prepare his soul
For the Land of the Dead awaits him
Gone, in the House of Hades
In his realm; strengthless
Impenetrable darkness
The unseen; relentless, implacable
Beseech Hermes to escort him
The River of Pain; mighty, wide
Implore Haron to transport your godlike man
The single obol he demands, must
His Myrmidons around his Hephaestion’s armour
Never again enlivened at the sight of it
Thus they pray
Oftentimes, valorous men cannot sustain the ponos
Loathe Apollo for he guided the foe
Loathe the foe for he lured him into the twilight
Cursed you be, son of Priam
Perished at your hands
Aias, King of Salamis, makarios you be
Retrieving his body; the rites befitting him
Anointed, adorned with a wreath
The fallen warrior you returned
Another world to belong to
The forever damned
Plagued with absolute chaos
The privileged few; will Hera promise the Elysian Fields?
Thetis, your dolor
In utter stillness wrapped
Whispers surround your grief
The depth of your woes
Poetry in this post: © Lefcothea-Maria Golgaki
Published with the permission of Lefcothea-Maria Golgaki