To Look Upon Eurydice

" In the sound of Morpheus

Where lover's song was stelled,

Lays the harp of Orpheus,

Whom Sirens lulling stilled:

The Nightingale I hear

As the string?d lyre of Thrace,

That dulcet rime so dear,

The beauty of your face."



During the wedding feast of a young man and a beautiful wood nymph, the music of a poet's lyre filled the idyllic woods. Yet, his dancing bride was stolen from his arms forever, bitten by a poisonous snake. Thus, the poet's legendary journey began, his sole mission in life to seek out a way of bringing her back, using his unique gift of poetry. It is said that his loss inspired emotive words upon his lips and unbearably sweet strains of music upon his harp. So much so that the King of the Underworld granted him his wish to bring her back to the world of the living. Yet on one condition, that he not look back upon her while still in the land of the dead.



On their long journey he grew concerned, not knowing if she was still following him. And, upon the very precipice of victory he yielded to temptation and looked upon his bride, thus, losing her once again. Afterwards, he sought again to return to the underworld, yet his wish was rejected. This devastated the poet, so, to calm his troubled soul he would do what he loved the most, play sweet music upon his harp. From a state of hopelessness he dreamt of happiness, missing his lost love so much that he vowed never to marry again. And, when he died a tragic death, the songbirds sang of the greatest bard of ancient Greece, nature itself mourned the loss of his beautiful voice.



"To Look Upon Eurydice" is a work unique in the world of poetry today, the author a former free verse poet, forsaking everything about Vers Libre and taking his own less-traveled poetic journey into the past. Those who love romantic verses of an age long ago will find such art, the melodies of rime and meter bound within. Kenneth makes use of a variety of classical forms such as the Spenserian Stanza, the Shakespearean Sonnet, and numerous other lyrical forms. His distinctive style uses a subtle touch of the archaic to transport you to a world of dreams. These ink-stained words have been known to touch the heart and make one ponder and pause with every carefully fashioned line. This is Kenneth's first book, the best of his minor works, illustrated meticulously by his own hand.



Like the mythological Orpheus setting out on his poet's journey to rescue Eurydice, so too do modern poets bring music into the world, often inspired by the loss of something or someone of great worth, the poet's Muse. Thus, this book, divided into three parts, is about such matters of the heart. For anyone who has loved before, these poems touch upon that tranquil feeling. For those who have experienced loss, one may find a few emotive lines that strike a chord within. And, for those who enjoy narrative verse, you will find poems of both modern and ancient lore within: tales such as "Cleopatra and Her Antony."