In the first episode of our new series, all about Poetry, we look at my favorite poem: "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver. With deceptive simplicity, Oliver's poem releases readers of their guilt and worries, and offers them a safe place to rest. All this, while reminding audiences of an instinctive and necessary imperative: heed the call of life, of the world. 

Listen in as we review the beauty of the poem through an approachable investigation of this work: the meaning, structure, poetic techniques, and favorite lines. 

Want more? Check out letters-leaves.com for all the goods, included a hand-illustrated printable of this poem!

-------

In this episode, we see the conclusion and culmination of Odysseus’ homecoming. All of the foreshadowing we’ve talked about, and the justice we’ve yearned to see, comes about, and then some! It’s really quite intense. There is no mercy, there are no pardons. There is only Odysseus and Athena, and their sidekicks Telemachus and Eumeaus, raining down justice and vengeance on the suitors… and on others. We see the epic end to this epic tale.

----

In this episode, we review summaries of Book 13-15 and dig into Books 16 & 17. We see the beginning of Part Two of The Odyssey: The Homecoming. As such a title indicates, we see the homecoming, finally, of Odysseus as well as the reunions this brings about. Odysseus is reunited with his home, Ithaca. Odysseus is reunited with his son, Telemachus. Lastly, Odysseus is reunited with his most loyal dog, Argos. 

----

In this episode, we look at Book 12 of The Odyssey. Odysseus wraps up telling his tale of mistakes and heroics to King Alcinous, and in these tales we see Odysseus survive three destructresses (destructive/seductive monsters) who seek to kill him: the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis. In the end, Odysseus alone lives to tell the tale, after his men are smote, struck down, by Zeus for eating Helios', the sun gods', cattle. Lo-oo-oooonely, Odysseus washes up on Ogygia, the home of Calypso. We know what happens there! 

----

In this episode, we witness Odysseus tell King Alcinous about his journey to the Underworld where he encounters many spirits, souls, and ghosts. Some of whom he is glad to see, others he is shocked to see, and yet others, he wishes he never saw. We also learn some details about the Ancient Greeks' beliefs about the afterlife and the structure of their Underworld, also known as Hades and the Land of the Dead.

---

In this episode, we take a look at Book 10, which largely entails Odysseus' and his men's encounter with Circe. But, before landing on Circe's island of Aeaea, Odysseus and Co. meet King Aiolos (alternatively spelled Aeolos), from the island of Ailo, who also happens to be the god of the wind. This seems like a great thing! And it is until it isn't. From there, Odysseus and his men find some overly friendly cannibals, the Laestrygonians, and finally wind up on Aeaea, with the lovely sorceress, Circe. In this episode, I review what information there is about Circe in The Odyssey and what isn't.

---

In this episode, we resume our reading and discussion of Book 9 and we find ourselves in a cyclops cave, because Odysseus didn’t listen to his men when they begged him to just steal food and goods from the giant beast, even though Odysseus had a gut feeling the encounter with the giant brute would not go well… We also resume with the cyclops snacking on Odysseus’ men… We look at what genius scheme Odysseus comes up with a genius plan for revenge and escape.

----

In this episode, we hear from Odysseus himself about a few trials and monsters after leaving Troy. In particular, we hear about his men and the Lotus Eaters and the infamous Polyphemus, the cyclops. Odysseus takes us back in time to right after he and his men leave Troy and head for home... with a few gods-given detours.

----

In this episode, we will look at Book 5 and see Calypso, the Sweet Nymph first hand. We see Hermes the Wayfinder share the gods' decree, "let Odysseus go" and learn about Calypso's often omitted reubttal "double standard." From there, we see Odysseus and Calypso interact, learn of Calypso's vulnerable vanity, see Odysseus leave Ogygia on a puny raft, and witness him battle the sea and its master Poseidon for 20 days. He lands on Scheria and meets a princess, wins some games, and begins to tell his tale. In this episode, we also summarize the events of books 6, 7, and 8 with the help of SparkNotes.

Special thanks to these sources:

----

We are returning for Episode 6 of our mini-series about Homer’s The Odyssey. In the last five episodes, we closely read book one and learned all about Homer’s stage setting taking place before we fully join Odysseus and his reliving of his 10 year journey home. In this episode, we will look at the last few pages of Book 1. These are the pages where Telemachus follows the grey-eyed goddess’ advice to warn off the suitors, call an assembly of his islanders to tell them his desire for the suitors to leave with the gods as witness, and, finally, set sail for Pylos and Sparta to seek out word of his father. Let’s dig in.

----