Friday, February 17, 2012

42. The Dark Ages of Greece


The age of heroes and marble men
Came to an end
After the fall of Troy
Culture collapsed
Darkness took over the land.
Weeds grew among ancient temples
As thrones were abandoned by kings.
Palaces fell to the ground
As marble men
Eroded from their pedestals.
The armies disbanded leaving the comforting barracks.
The river of trade slowly dwindled to a trickle.
The temples went unfinished
With none to raise up Athena.
None to exalt Zeus.
No prayers to mother Hera
And none to shining Apollo
Where did these proud, vibrant people go?
To Anatolia
Where they waited out this cold, uncertain time
In the warm weather flowing in from the Greek Sea.
While they reveled in the ancient past
The glories of old Odysseus
The glorious fall of Troy.
Still, things were bubbling
Under the Greek mainland’s surface
Geometric pottery
Started directing paths
To and Iron Age revival.

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