From Paradise to Paradise

Summary

The website content is a poetic exploration of the life of Alexander the Great, framed as a journey from an idyllic "Elysian Plain" to greatness, with an invitation to readers to engage with more poetry and writings by the author, Jim Dutton.

Abstract

The provided text is an artistic rendition of the early life and destiny of Alexander the Great, presented in a poetic form known as a "galleggiante." It depicts his birth and upbringing in a peaceful and perfect "Elysian Plain," where he is nurtured by his mother and educated by Aristotle, setting the stage for his future as a philosopher's charge and heir to a king. The poem emphasizes Alexander's mission to rid the world of ignorance and strife, echoing the peace of his birthplace. The author, Jim Dutton, shares this work as part of a themed poetry series on "Elysian" topics, hosted by Paper Poetry, and invites readers to explore his other writings in poetry, science fiction, and fiction through his Medium profile and referral membership link.

Opinions

The author, Jim Dutton, portrays Alexander the Great's early life as an idealistic and divinely inspired journey, suggesting a connection between his humble beginnings and his later achievements.
The use of the "galleggiante" poetry form with its repeating refrain is likely a deliberate choice to mirror the cyclical nature of Alexander's life, from his Elysian origins to his world-changing conquests.
By inviting readers to join Medium through his referral link, Dutton conveys both a confidence in the value of his work and a desire to reach a wider audience, indicating his commitment to his craft and the Medium platform.
The mention of Aristotle's role in Alexander's education hints at the author's appreciation for the influence of philosophy on Alexander's development as a leader and thinker.
The author's participation in Paper Poetry's themed series reflects an alignment with the publication's mission to foster creative expression and community among writers and readers.

The life of Alexander the Great

Credit: Author

A child is born on an elysian plain offered by Mother to the world with pride she holds him aloft to be washed by rain then dried and swaddled by the warm sunshine.

He owns little but he wants for nothing this child who plays on the elysian plain in grassy waves chasing insects hopping then naps in a den where the fox has lain.

Shielded by Mother from heartbreak and pain the boy basks in love and sees only peace “Alex!” she calls ‘cross the elysian plain “Come here and discover your destiny!”

And so he learns the purpose of his life as philosopher’s charge and heir to a king to rid the world of ignorance and strife and spread the peace of his elysian plain.

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE in the idyllic walled city of Pella in Macedon. His father, King Phillip II hired the greatest living philosopher of the time, Aristotle, to tutor the boy in logic, ethics, and strategy.

A galleggiante is a poetry form with four 4-line stanzas using an abab rhyming scheme. One line in each stanza is a partially-repeating refrain that either begins at the top and falls to the bottom (a “sinker”) or vice versa (a “floater”). The word galleggiate means “floating” in Italian.

Thanks to Paper Poetry for inviting me to write this poetry series with the theme Elysian, meaning beautiful or creative; divinely inspired; peaceful and perfect. The ancient Greeks believed a perfect, peaceful place called the Elysian Plains, or Elysium, would be the final resting place for the souls of the heroic and the virtuous.

If you enjoyed this poem and wish to read more, please visit my Poetry, Science Fiction, and Fiction lists. And if you are not already a Medium member, you can get access to all of my work, and many, many others through my referral membership link.

PS: Editorial Note : Paper poetry conducts themed poetry series every month. This month’s theme is of Greek origin, Elysian: If you want to be a part of this, kindly read this.

AN ELYSIAC GALLEGGIANTE

From Paradise to Paradise — Part 1

The life of Alexander the Great

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