No, Achilles

I am sure that you, like I, am numbed by the carnage that hits the human stage on what seems, now, to be an almost daily basis. We are faced with the unhinged who have easy access to guns, a seemingly American phenomenon. (The statistic I heard yesterday was that the United States, with around 4 or 5% of the world population, own 40% of the world’s gun!). We have terrorists bombing Paris, Beirut, Cairo, etc. etc.  We lived through Columbine, Newtown and countless others. And now San Bernadino.  And, throughout it all, we mourn and moan and then life seems to go on, at least until the next tragedy hits.

I, as a Muslim, am doubly aggrieved, for in addition to the mourning, I have to endure the backlash created by the Trumpets who trumpet their way through a phony election, espousing yet more hatred, war and carnage. Tag them, they say, (should I suggest yellow?), round them up, put them in camps. Sound familiar?  Have we not learned from history? Do we not remember the Nazis or what we, ourselves, did to the Japanese-Americans during WW II?

Just in time to ease my affliction comes No, Achilles (Waterwood Press), which arrived on my desk yesterday. Edited by the award-winning, Pulitzer Prize nominee James Adams, this anthology is a collection of 64 international poets from every corner of the globe and is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Against Agamemnon: War Poems, 2009.

To quote:

No, Achilles reminds us of the brutal realities that are the tragic commonplace of our world. Perhaps we should spend a day with it, a week, a month, a lifetime – until it reminds us of that moral imperative we too frequently forget: the suffering of others is our own.” – Randall Watson, Poet/Editor, Blue Lynx Prize Winner.

Or this, from the introduction by Peter Anderson:

“The poetry here has no truck with war as a clearcut issue of good and evil. Poem after poem in this anthology breaks us open to seeing intensely, inwardly, the pity and terror involved in direct confrontation with war and its effects. The point is to make such seeing unforgettable – hence the necessity of poetry, for poetry is the form that language takes for that which is not to be forgotten.”

Yes, I have a poem in this anthology, but that’s not the point. The point is that unless we do something to stop the senseless carnage that has become a daily part of our lives, our own Achilles heel — the intolerance and hatred that festers unabated in our world – may lead to our very destruction. But then, all things considered, that may not be a bad thing after all.

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7 Responses to No, Achilles

  1. Marlene says:

    A passionate ‘Post’ there, Mike. The poetry anthology sounds interesting. Which main international or American poets are there? Carolyn Forche? Alamgir Hashmi? Are there younger voices like Hugh Martin, Brian Turner? Please list the full contents as I cannot find them anywhere.
    That’ll be a service to war poetry And where is this book available from? Thanks.

    • Mike Maggio says:

      Hi Marlene:
      Carolyn Forche was definitely an inspiration for this and she did write a blurb for the book but she is not included. Almagir Hashmi is. Here is a link to the full table of contents.

      https://mikemaggio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Achilles.pdf

      The book can be purchased direct from WaterWood Press, 47 Waterwood, Huntsville, Texas 77320 for $15 plus $3 shipping. You can also contact them at waterwoodpress@yahoo.com.

      Let me know if you need any other info.

      Mike

      • Marlene says:

        Hi Mike
        Thanks for the info about NO, ACHILLES. Helps order a copy. Your book contents upload shows some full pages but.not all of them. A full contents upload with all of the pages may help readers and buyers. I sure will visit your page. Thanks again..

        • Mike Maggio says:

          Thanks Marlene. I was in a hurry when I did that but if you want something clearer, let me know. And if you’d like to join my mailing list, please also let me know. Or you can subscribe to my web site. Wishing you a happy and peaceful New Year. Mike

          • Marlene says:

            Hi Mike. If you could post a link to clear full contents pages and Forche’s blurb for NO, ACHILLES, that would be a help to many poetry readers, including readers of your poetry. Happy New Year.

          • Mike Maggio says:

            Thanks Marlene. Good ideas. I will try to do this later today.

  2. Pingback: No, Achilles – Table of Contents | Mike Maggio

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