POETRY
Claudius Ptolemy
Free verse tribute
“The heaven is spherical in shape, and moves as a sphere; the earth too is sensibly spherical in shape, when taken as a whole; in position it lies in the middle of the heavens very much like its centre; in size and distance it has the ratio of a point to the sphere of the fixed stars; and it has no motion from place to place” — Claudius Ptolemy
I look up into the clear night sky full of stories and wonder,
grateful am I for your vision giving me along
with others throughout the ages so much to ponder on.
Greek Legends brought to life in constellations,
star signs for us to identify mapped
throughout the cosmos as far as the eye can see
standing the test of time in our space of imagination.
An Egyptian Scientist of Greek descent
with an ancient Greek name who lived in Alexandria,
a mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher
astrologer, geographer, horoscope creator.
Ptolemy wrote a number of scientific treatises,
the Mathematical treatise Known as The Almagest,
also in geography and astrology.
Citing Greek philosophers using Babylonian observations
and lunar theory The Almagest, the great compilation
movement of the sun, moon and planets.
Setting out with a theory of the heavens established by the ancients
predicting solar system cycles with epicycles, geometric models
in circular motion, combinations with the earth at its centre;
not without controversy, I must add.
We thank you, Claudius Ptolemy, for your navigational visions,
explorers throughout the last near two thousand years,
physical and visceral benefitting vision through clear-sky nights.
I, for one, greatly enjoy tracing my Sagittarius constellation mentor
uncannily gifting me his traits, it was all just medicine to you
conjecture based on race, country and upbringing.
Insightful, as many of your observations are.
“I know that I am mortal by nature, and ephemeral; but when I trace at my pleasure the windings to and fro of the heavenly bodies I no longer touch earth with my feet: I stand in the presence of Zeus himself and take my fill of ambrosia, food of the gods” — Claudius Ptolemy
James G Brennan 2021
Dedicated to: R Tsambounieri Talarantas, Anthi Psomiadou, Patrick M. Ohana.
Thank you as always, Suntonu Bhadra, Carolyn Hastings, Indubala Kachhawa for giving my words a platform. 🙏☘🙏☘🙏☘
Thank you all for reading and your precious time. Always. J. 🙏☘✨💥
