Onward Pheidippides!
A Poem For All Those Running The Chicago Marathon (Namely My Wife)
Onward Pheidippides!
For though Persia lies bleeding
On Marathon’s shore
To your beloved home
Beat the drums of war
Onward Pheidippides!
Let you journey root
Into Grecian lore
The olives of Attica
Will sing of your ardor
As Hermes herald
With fleetness of feet
To Athens journey
Denying our defeat
Onward Pheidippides!
One ship remains
A final threat abound
With your final breath
Let Nike sound
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A/N:
For everyone running the Chicago Marathon today! Plenty of history and myth in this little tale that I won't bore you with.
Instead, congrats Kathryn! My wife has worked her ass off for this and I couldn't be more proud of her.
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About the Creator
Matthew J. Fromm
Full-time nerd, history enthusiast, and proprietor of arcane knowledge.
Here there be dragons, knights, castles, and quests (plus the occasional dose of absurdity).
I can be reached at [email protected]
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Before him lay his doom. Exasperated, Imperator Valatious collapsed into his chair. Beyond the hide walls of his tent, the evening air hung disquietingly still. He ran his weathered hands through a grease-stained mane of brown hair, uncut since the campaign began.
By Matthew J. FrommExclusive • about a year ago
Comments (15)
Was great to read this again, as I look through the submissions, finally, for the book. Will let you know in the comments of the one I decide to use. Thanks again, bud! This is beautiful!
Love all the big and small classical references, especially Nike at the end. Hope she smashed it Matthew!
well done
Such an admirable goal in life. I can imagine the training must have been grueling. Cheers to Kathryn!
Well, a belated wish of good luck to your wife!! This was a wonderful tribute to her and her detection to a hard hobby!!
My best friend just ran a marathon in the sand dunes of Michigan! Quite a feat! Love that your wife’s running inspired this piece! Really great work!
"Your choice of words and rhythm makes the poem even more impactful, especially when the call of 'Nike' is heard in the final breath. Amazing! 😊👏
I like the onward approach to the momentum of the words.
The poem employs rhythmic repetition and vivid imagery to celebrate Pheidippides' heroic run, emphasizing determination and triumph in ancient Greece.
Well, this had me rooting for your wife, anyway!
Enjoy your poem. I hope it energizes you ! How was the marathon?
Onward, and all the best for the marathon.
This is amazing, Matthew!
Nicely written!
Woo. Go Kathyrn! Well done to her for doing a Marathon - especially one as iconic as the Chicago one. I'll be the first to admit that when I read the title and then subtitle I put 1 and 1 together and got 5? lol. Your wife, as I now remember and you reminded me, is not called Pheidippides - sorry Kathyrn!