Asphodel /æsƒê‚del/n.
1 plant of the lily family.
2 poet.immortal flower growing in Elysium.
Asphodel
by A.E. Stallings
(after the words of Penny Turner, Nymphaion, Greece)
Our guide turned in her saddle, broke the spell:
"You ride now through a field of asphodel,
The flower that grows on the plains of hell.
Across just such a field the pale shade came
Of proud Achilles, who had preferred a name
And short life to a long life without fame,
And summoned by Odysseus he gave
This wisdom, ‘Better by far to be a slave
Among the living, than great among the grave.’
I used to wonder, how did such a bloom
Become associated with the tomb?
Then one evening, walking through the gloom,
I noticed a strange fragrance. It was sweet,
Like honey, but with hints of rotting meat.
An army of them bristled at my feet."
The word "asphodel", in mythical and theological sense, is associated with death and the afterlife. It was believed that when a life was redeemed by the tailors of fate, the proprietor of the soul would then see angels coming for him, carrying asphodel as offering to the risen soul. This idea of death and the beauty to it has always been ignored by many for they are afraid. I see death as rather fascinating. It may be the next level to precede our physical life to another.
"Asphodel for the Dead" is about embracing life and our very debt to the natural world, physical death. Life is a wondering thing. It may seem rather vast, and floating around and being lost is what could happen once in a while, and may even last a lifetime for poor kindred souls. Despite the things and demons that snare and deprive us of living normally, as such, loniless, emptiness, depression, suffering and all those that tie and bind us all together, there is happiness along the way. I have provided some poetry, which arent particularly good, to sort of, give you a glimpse that life is miserable. And that what makes it life. As I have mentioned, Life is a wonderful thing. This may seem contradicting, but not for long. I see life as a precious gift. A gift given to me by someone I dont know. But with life, always comes many instances that would either result to something benefiting or destructive. Its like, life is interwooven with misery. And once youve accepted and understood the ways of life, it wouldnt bee too hard to scour and freely explore life thenforth.
