Ulysses II

A poem for an undergrad class assignment where I had to write a response to a classic. Of course, I chose "Ulysses" by Lord Tennyson (Click on Title and Author to see this poem). I included some visual elements (the text looking like waves) because Dr. Hall was into that sort of thing.

It little profits an adventurous king

Knowledge of foreign lands

If all it does is add glory

To such a prideful, old man.

Telemachus is to be praised, sure

But would not a father want more

To make a great son a greater steward

Of his father's kingdom when he's interred

Send Telemachus to seek these strange lands

To learn strange wisdom, from strange hands

Then return back to father and his kingdom

So future generations will have their hero

That they'll lift up and name their own;

Partaking in Telemachus' achievements.

Beowulf too was a well traveled king

Made glorious by conquests of monsters

But he, also, had not considered his old age

And the great was made foolish as a young child.