from The Greek Anthology

Below the Monument of Lysikrates

My son shouts up to our balcony from the Road of the Tripods
   that he's got a new flute, fingers a tune.
All the gods and godlings perk up their ears, the terracotta statuettes

   lining the tourist shop fronts, the broken busts
around the Acropolis: Silenus holding up the stage of Dionysus
   within sight of our window, Molpos, Apollo, Athena herself.

Once again the victory of the choral festival
   is beating time, lifted on this ancient road.
                                                                           GREGORY OF CORKUS


Party Piece

Sometimes the get-together is unavoidable: a party,
   marriage, funeral, function of some sort.
You brace yourself, most people being more
   friendly acquaintances than acquainted friends
- even with the latter you feel more at ease meeting one
...