Book One (Iliad)

Introduction 


This book of poetry follows the texts of Homer's 'Iliad,' (Richmond Lattimore's translation), and 'Odyssey,' (Emily Wilson's translation), with events from the Fall 1969 athletic season at an all boys prep school ('Iliad') and the Winter 1970 wrestling season ('Odyssey'). 

Folkstyle wrestling is the format used by US schools and colleges, allowing moves on the upper, and lower body of wrestlers, unlike Greco-Roman, which involves only the upper body. 

An oil check is an illegal move in which a wrestler inserts one or more fingers into the rectum of an opponent with the hope that it will distract him. Other illegal moves involve contact with an opponent's genitals. 


Boys

Stood on

Line in their

Undershorts- one,

Who freeballed, naked-

Usually boxers,

A few briefs, for heights and weights.


The

Priest knelt, 

Dishonoured,

Chryseis, his

Daughter, still held by

Agamemnon, who spurned

Supplications, ransom gifts. 


He

Sat at

A table 

In his office 

With index cards, each

Boy's name filled in; height, weight,

Football position left blank.


Boys,

Dismissed

From study

Hall, sent to gym, 

Told to find locker,

Take off everything, form

Line outside coaches' lockers.


God's 

Silver

Arrows struck 

Achaians for

Nine days, Kalchas sought

To interpret source of 

Apollo's anger with them.


He

Had met

With new boys

As athletic 

Director to note

The school's sports achievements,

List Fall opportunities.


Shoes

Untied,

Socks rolled down, 

Ties unknotted,

Shirts unbuttoned, tails

Pulled out, hooked, belts unnotched,

Pants unzipped, hung, shorts retained.


Pressed

To yield 

Priest's daughter 

Without ransom

To end Apollo's 

Assault, Agamemnon 

Relented, taking new prize.


He'd 

Passed through 

Athletic 

Center, studied 

Entry photos on

Walls, framed, sepia teams,

Fraternal surnames beneath.


Boys

Staked their 

Claims- merits

Under adverse 

Conditions, duly

Retold, while near naked-

To varsity positions.


Since

It was

Achilles 

Who sought Kalchas'

Interpretation, 

Agamemnon ordered

Him to yield prize: Briseis. 


He

Observed

Procession,

Declined comment 

When most boys entered 

Still wearing undershorts,

Despite his clear instructions.


New

Football 

Coach stood to

Side, 'Step up,' each

Boy complied, slid bar

Across beam, announced weight,

'Turn around,' dropped arm for height.


Zeus,

Begged by

Thetis, to

Allow Trojans

To overpower 

Achaians until they

Made amends to Achilles.


He

Met with 

Alumnus'

Wife, assured her

That first born son would 

Become school quarterback 

Before end of the season.


Each

Boy was

Escorted 

To storage room,

Overhead lights on, 

Door closed, told: 'Drop your shorts,'

Photographed face front, side, back.


Zeus 

Nodded

To Thetis,

Placed himself at

Odds with Hera, who

Questioned intervention

In the fates of mere mortals.


Rolls

Of film

Developed

Into contact 

Sheets at school darkroom,

Images of each boy

Attached to his index card.
















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