This is one of my "soliloquies" - poems so unusual and esoteric that I'm not sure if anyone besides myself can understand them. I had thought for some time that this one was finished, but I realized recently that it needed some improvement.

The title is a deliberate double entendre. "Eros" and "Lethe" are both capitalized which could indicate that they are proper nouns, or it could simply be because they are part of the title. As a result, the title could be translated either as "Eros and Lethe" or "Love and Oblivion". The excerpt from Oppian at the end mentions both Eros and Lethe which could imply that the first translation is correct, but it really works for either.


The poem is a series of Greek words that form a progression, each followed by a phrase or sentence that provides some sort of explanation.

The Greek words in the progression are as follows:
Eros - Love (romantic, erotic love)
Laktara - Desire (yearning, craving)
Apelpisia - Despair
Apatheia - The English word "apathy" is derived from the Greek word "apatheia" but it doesn't mean exactly the same thing. The concept of apatheia is an important part of Stoicism.
Galini - Serenity
Lethe - Oblivion
The Greek word Telos (end) at the end seems to indicate the end of the poem.


The poem may be translated as follows:

"Eros and Lethe" or "Love and Oblivion"

love
The one dream that matters.

desire
The heart wants what it wants.

despair
When the loneliness is too strong
and hope is all gone.

apatheia
Dreams die. Life goes on.
Accept things as they are.

serenity
When craving ceases, suffering will cease.

oblivion
Sleep without dreams.

The End
It is what it is.


As you read through the poem, notice what it is saying about the concepts of hope/dreams and desire/craving. The excerpt from Oppian at the end may provide some clue to what the poem is saying. Then again, it might just be a red herring.

Like everything else, this poem will only be here for a short time.

"Give me the waters of Lethe that numb the heart."
Ovid

Edited 1 time by MSebring Jun 12 13 7:38 PM.