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This poem is taken from PN Review 40, Volume 11 Number 2, November - December 1984.

Two Poems James Laughlin

TWO LETTERS IN SAMOS

Posidippus to Philaenis

Procne your charming servant has
brought me your letter and I get

the message I wrote to you as to
one alone as to the one alone I

could love but your answer is to
Menecratis my wife as well as to

me I understand yes as I feared
you are really in love with Polu-

cron may you have much joy of him
he is a charming young man but

when he goes please send me word
I shall be waiting here for you.

Philaenis to Posidippus

Are you Pan's goat or the owl of
Athene I didn't love my father

and it would be hard for me to
...


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