Showcase: The Anactoria Poem

By Faith Castillo

https://poets.org/poem/anactoria-poem

Sappho is an Ancient Greek poet who is commonly considered to be one of the most famous and lauded poets of history. Her works are known on a worldwide level. Additionally, she is personally one of my favorite poets because of the fact that she is a defining part of LGBTQIA+ culture and the sapphic community, which was named for her. Therefore, I have chosen to showcase one of her works. Specifically, I want to draw attention to “The Anactoria Poem”. I think it is a fitting poem for Din to showcase because part of our mission is to promote works that foster attitudes of inclusivity. Along with this, Din works to present a diverse selection of works, for which Sappho’s poetry is perfect. Additionally, the struggles with homophobia that still prevalently exist give all the more reason for this poem to be showcased. Queer people deserve to see themselves positively, the way that the poetry portrays.

The poem that I chose to showcase is “The Anactoria Poem.” I found it to be an astonishing work of poetry because it manages to envelop essential parts of both the queer experience and the sensation of love itself. This kind of work is so important because it validates the LGBTQIA+ experience and offers something familiar for queer people who feel the things that Sappho describes. They can also recognize these feelings in Helen’s sapphic portrayal. Additionally, it is a worthwhile piece of poetry because it breaks through a genre that has been historically dominated by cis, heterosexual perspectives. While these experiences are also important, I think that diverse work helps the field to progress as well.

“The Anactoria Poem” in itself is a poetic masterpiece in both content and diversity but there is also something to be praised in its style. Sappho lives up to her title of a poetry icon in this poem with the flowing narrative and lyrical imagery. The poem itself is a vivid description of Sappho watching as the soldiers leave for Troy but Sappho herself yearning to see the woman she loves instead. Though every sentence glimmers with poetic excellence, one of my favorites is this one where Sappho declares: “I’d rather see her lovely step, her sparkling glance, and her face than gaze on all the troops in Lydia.” (Sappho & Powell, 2007, para. 5) This line encompasses the beautifully romantic theme of the poem because it shows the sensual experience of only having eyes for the person you love. It feels like the perfect description of something that many people have felt throughout their lives, regardless of who they are or where they are from. The idea that a poem could capture emotions over a wide range of different societies and cultures is what makes it so incredibly impactful.

To conclude, “The Anactoria Poem” is worthy not only of a showcase, but also every praise it is awarded. This mastery of poetry is an excellent example of the normalcy, romance, and validity of gay love, both now and in the ancient times when it was written. Din chooses to showcase it as a signal of inclusivity and a message that LGBTQIA+ love is not only acceptable but also something that can be incredibly elegant and romantic. Sapphic, gay, bisexual, and all other types of LGBTQIA+ love should be celebrated and this poem shows that they are.

Sappho via https://classicalwisdom.com/people/poets/poetess/

“but longing, and lightly straying aside, lost her way. But that reminds me

now: Anactória.”

(Sappho & Powell, 2007, para. 4)

References:

Sappho, & Powell, J. (2007). The poetry of Sappho. Oxford University Press.

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Faith Castillo is a junior at New Mexico State University. She is double majoring in Justice, Political, Philosophy, and Law and English. Castillo plans on attending law school after she graduates. During her downtime, Castillo enjoys different types of creative writing, art, and caring for her chickens. Additionally, Castillo has fun balancing the duties of the Din Poetry Editorial Board.