The Greek gods don't come in winter
and seldom in person. They speak through
others. Even in summer. Their voices seem
far off and very fast. It;s difficult also
because we can't trust the people who say
they are translating. When the gods come
in the dawn, there is soon the odor
of roses and warm linen. They sit in their
high-backed chairs and mostly watch
the children. Especially when they are
running and laughing.They applaud
by humming when we read our poems.
They hum differently when the poems
are about lights and parallel geologies
of the sea. But they hum most of all
when the poems are about are about distance and desire
Jack Gilbert
