THE MYTH OF ATHENS
Poseidon’s gift,
a showy, saltwater
splash—brine borne
of anxious zeal.
Flashy is a drug,
its salinated
damage dense,
dank with danger.
Athena’s gift,
an olive tree—
deep roots, long reach
shelter generations.
Deep fields give
deep gold, no gleaming
need to close doors
against Athena’s yield.
Bio:
Kirsten Keppel is a 2017 Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum semifinalist for her documentary Ringraziamenti: The Saint Joseph’s Day Table Tradition. She is a member and past videographer of the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society of Washington, DC, and a regular contributor to Ambassador magazine. Her poetry has appeared in Ovunque Siamo, Mediterranean Odyssey, The Chesapeake Reader, and Lombardi Voices. A descendant of Molisani great-grandparents from Riccia and Jelsi, Kirsten lives in Washington, DC.
OVUNQUE SIAMO 