Challenging Poetry

Republic of Macedonia: ancient memories

once, in ancient times,
when Alexander
tore through the world
like wildfire, eating
nations and tribes as he went,
Macedonia stretched
across the world,
until he fell. poison, they cry,
and marvel that an empire
grown in half a lifetime
could die so quick—
her body stripped bare
by vultures—one tribe here,
one nation there,
until Macedonia is an argument
at the pub between neighbors
drunk on Greece, a whisper
of Alexander, sleeping
in honey beneath a shell
of glass and gold, a memory
of victory.

line count: 21

Author's Note ▼

I remember in world history being really curious about Alexander the Great, son of Philip of Macedon. He wasn't that much older than me, and he did so much. It was amazing to think of. And then, there was the fact that he was buried in honey in a glass coffin, which is just the kind of gore-ish detail that I love. So, when we had this country, I immediately went here.

Alexander the Great was arguably the greatest general of all time. He never lost a battle. Of course, Greece claims him (to the point that the people who live in Macedonia and have for a long time get into arguments with Greece about whether they can call themselves Macedonia and whether they can use ancient symbols of Macedon), although he wouldn't have called himself Greek (neither would a good percentage of the people who live in Greece--they have a more complicated heritage). Like his father, he was of Macedon.

After absorbing most of the known world, Alexander rested in Babylon, where he died, perhaps of poison, perhaps not (I personally like the idea of poison). The empire died with him, mostly because he was only 32, had no direct heirs and no real plans for succession. His body was carried around the ancient world for a while, mostly because it was said that the country that held him would always be victorious, but that tomb is lost. And all that's left of Alexander is children learning about him in history classes, wondering how he got to conquer the world when he was so young.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great