Brotherly Tears (Catullus)

[Recursion]

Driven through many a nation, out over many an ocean,
I am now here for these last rites of passing,
To offer you, dead brother, the last gifts of the living,
To speak in vain at your unspeaking ash
Since bitter fortune barred me, stole you to a shadow,
Poor brother taken, cruelly taken, from me.
But now to celebrate grief in custom of our fathers
I bring small foods to you who starve below,
Small gifts damp with a brother's tears. Take them and this
Into eternity: hail and farewell.

[In_The_Wind]

1. ~

[Recursion]

2. No matter what you feel, Catullus wrote it

And he wrote it amazingly. Sigh.

[hack89]

3. Thank you for introducing me to Catullus

I looked him up and read some of his poems - amazing stuff.

[Recursion]

4. The sad stuff is heartbreaking. The happy stuff will keep you happy for days

A good friend of mine's brother is dying, which made me think of this. Obviously, this is more on the "heartbreaking" side of things.

[hack89]

5. And the erotic stuff will curl your toes

that's what immediately struck me - how simple and direct he was. Very powerful.

[Recursion]

6. That too

Catullus, who doesn't mince words about fucking people in the ass.