Reading from The Parliament of Poets: An Epic Poem. Best Selections 2015 – 2017. 13 minutes.
A shaman-like tale or chant, a story, a Journey toward healing the psyche of the planet, drawing from and evoking all of the great spiritual and wisdom traditions and regional civilizations.
If the old exclusivisms evolved into the exclusivism of the Enlightenment, from the moon, together, we can see universality…
As a global epic tale, I am speaking to the entire planet, not merely the Western world. While the whole is always more than the sum of its parts, I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to such writers and thinkers as the historian Arnold Toynbee, Carl Jung, Huston Smith, Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, and many others of open and universal sensibility. Campbell, especially, wrote on shamanism and myth and their power to heal the tribe through a visionary experience and tale. Campbell also wrote repeatedly about the overview Image of Earthrise, rising above the horizon of the moon, as the great new mythic Image and Symbol for our time. I hope that my epic tale might be judged worthy of the best in their thinking and work.
“It’s very contemporary, in some ways, and very much old school… This is really some cool stuff, I have to say, and I’m not just saying that, just to say it. It really is, and when you hear some of his epic poetry and poetry, hopefully you’ll agree and want to grab a copy of The Parliament of Poets. If you’ve done any study of classic epic poetry, this fits the bill. And don’t let that turn you away. It’s really good stuff.” —M. L. Liebler, Department of English, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
SYNOPSIS
The Parliament of Poets is set partly on the moon at the Apollo 11 landing site, the Sea of Tranquility, and around the world.
Apollo calls all the poets of the nations, ancient and modern, East and West, to assemble on the Moon to consult on the meaning of modernity. The Parliament of Poets chooses one of its own, the Poet of the Moon, and sends him on a Journey to the seven continents to learn from all of the spiritual and wisdom traditions of humankind. On Earth and on the Moon, the poets teach him a new global, universal vision of life.
One of the major themes is the power of women and the female spirit across cultures.
The book has twelve chapters, each with three to five cantos, more than forty throughout. To suggest the scope of the book, it is set partly on the moon and in Australia, India, Cambodia, Burma, Tibet, China, Japan, Africa, France, England, Russia, the Middle East, Central and South America.
REVIEWS
“A remarkable poem by a uniquely inspired poet, taking us out of time into a new and unspoken consciousness…” —Kevin McGrath, South Asian Studies, Harvard University, author on the Mahabharata.
“A great epic poem of startling originality and universal significance, in every way partaking of the nature of world literature.” —Hans Ruprecht, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, author on Goethe, Borges, etc.
“Mr. Glaysher has written an epic poem of major importance… Truly a major accomplishment and contribution to American Letters.” —ML Liebler, Poet, Department of English, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
“Very readable and intriguingly enjoyable. A masterpiece that will stand the test of time.” —Poetry Cornwall, No. 36, England, UK
“Glaysher is really an epic poet and this is an epic poem! Glaysher has written a masterpiece… I strongly recommend his poem.” —The Society of Classical Poets
“And a fine major work it is.” —Arthur McMaster, Department of English, Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina, in Poets’ Quarterly
“I’m extremely impressed with the quality and depth of the writing. So well written. It’s almost like a stepping stone into all this world lit that people might otherwise never touch.” —R. J. Fox, Kerrytown BookFest, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“I am in awe of the brilliance of this book! Food for the soul, and answers to humanity’s most pressing problems, right where they belong, in the epic poetry of all the teachers, magicians, prophets, shamans, and poets of all time… Everyone must read this book, especially if you enjoy literature, wisdom, and philosophy.” —Anodea Judith, Novato, California, author of The Global Heart Awakens
“Don’t be intimidated by an epic poem. It’s really coming back to that image of the storyteller sitting around the campfires of the world, dipping into and weaving the story of humanity, in the most beautiful, mellifluous language.” —Miriam Knight, Portland, Oregon, New Consciousness Review radio
Buy Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Parliament-Poets-Epic-Poem/dp/098267788X
Buy Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Earthrise Press. https://earthrisepress.net
Hardcover, Kindle, ePub, iTunes, PDF, Nook
