Before Sanders

Before Sanders John Finley, Jr. stood and said,
or should have said, “Through the medium of
the ancient Greeks, myself I adore, object worthy
of such adoration as I can master, which is much,
insofar as I myself am much and yet even more

So stood John Finley. Jr., before Sanders and strode
and went on saying what came to him across
the wine dark medium of the ancient Greeks,
their olive trees and boars and sheep and sails
and I, young, listened early in my sleepy morning

Now, John Finley, Jr,, you are dead, your blood
commingled with the dust, while you have gone
down to dark Hades where alone you loiter in
what is less than half light, less than half honor,
while moths flit through your heartless empty chest

I remember you, John Finley, Jr. who before Sanders
stood and said (or should have said) “I adore myself
through the sleepless medium of ancient Greek”
and I honor you as best I can, for vanity, too, is
a painted glaze upon a vase, a hope and a truth