The Parliament of Poets

An Epic Poem

“Gazing from the moon, we see one Earth, without borders, Mother Earth, her embrace encircling one people, humankind.”

Thirty years in the making, The Parliament of Poets: An Epic Poem, by Frederick Glaysher, takes place partly on the moon, at the Apollo 11 landing site, the Sea of Tranquility, a Journey towards healing the psyche of the planet.

In a world of Quantum science, Apollo, the Greek god of poetry, calls all the poets of the nations, ancient and modern, East and West, to assemble on the moon to consult on the meaning of modernity. The Parliament of Poets sends the Persona on a Journey to the seven continents to learn from all of the spiritual and wisdom traditions of humankind. On Earth and on the moon, the poets teach a new global, universal vision of life.

One of the major themes is the power of women and the female spirit across cultures. Another is the nature of science and religion, including Quantum Physics, as well as the “two cultures,” science and the humanities.

All the great shades appear at the Apollo 11 landing site in the Sea of Tranquility: Homer and Virgil from the Greek and Roman civilizations; Dante, Spenser, and Milton hail from the Judeo-Christian West; Rumi, Attar, and Hafez step forward from Islam; Du Fu and Li Po, Basho and Zeami, step forth from China and Japan; the poets of the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana meet on that plain; griots from Africa; shamans from Indonesia and Australia; Murasaki Shikibu, Emily Dickinson, and Jane Austen, poets and seers of all Ages, bards, rhapsodes, troubadours, and minstrels, major and minor, hail across the halls of time and space. 

That transcendent Rose symbol of our age, the Earth itself, viewed from the heavens, one world with no visible boundaries, metaphor of the oneness of the human race, reflects its blue-green light into the darkness of the starry universe. 

Reviews

"Like a story around a campfire." —The Audience

"Certainly wowed the crowd at the library with the performance and the words themselves." —Albany Poets News, New York

"A great epic poem of startling originality and universal significance, in every way partaking of the nature of world literature." —Hans Ruprecht, CKCU Literary News, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, author on Goethe, Borges, etc.

"A remarkable poem by a uniquely inspired poet, taking us out of time into a new and unspoken consciousness..." —Kevin McGrath, Lowell House, South Asian Studies, Harvard University, author on the Mahabharata

"Mr. Glaysher has written an epic poem of major importance that is guaranteed to bring joy and an overwhelming sense of beauty and understanding to readers who will travel the space ways with this exquisite poet. I am truly awed by this poet's use of epic poetry that today's readers will connect with, enjoy and savor every word, every line and every section. Frederick Glaysher is a master poet who knows his craft from the inside out, and this is truly a major accomplishment and contribution to American Letters. Once you enter, you will not stop until the end. A landmark achievement. Bravo! —ML Liebler, Poet, Department of English, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

"And a fine major work it is." —Arthur McMaster, Department of English, Converse College, in Poets' Quarterly

"Glaysher is really an epic poet and this is an epic poem! Glaysher has written a masterpiece." —The Society of Classical Poets

"This Great Poem promises to be the defining Epic of the Age and will be certain to endure for many Centuries. Frederick Glaysher uses his great Poetic and Literary Skills in an artistic way that is unique for our Era and the Years to come. I strongly recommend this book to all those who enjoy the finest Poetry, and what is more, with a profound spiritual message for humanity." —Alan Jacobs, Poet Writer Author, London, UK

"Very readable and intriguingly enjoyable. A masterpiece that will stand the test of time." —Poetry Cornwall, No. 36, England, UK

"Bravo to the Poet for this toilsome but brilliant endeavour." —Transnational Literature, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

"I am in awe of the brilliance of this book! Food for the soul, and answers to humanity's most pressing problems, right where they belong, in the epic poetry of all the teachers, magicians, prophets, shamans, and poets of all time. Everyone must read this book, especially if you enjoy literature, wisdom, and philosophy." —Anodea Judith, Author, Novato, California

"You know how on space probes they have these little goodie bags full of things. It is my feeling that they should include a copy of The Parliament of Poets, because it gives this overview, this panorama of the best of human civilization, the voice of her poets, the voice of her dreamers and thinkers, and with great honor to each of them, and so I do want to commend the book to our listeners. Don't be intimidated by an epic poem. It's really coming back to that image of the storyteller sitting around the campfires of the world, dipping into and weaving the story of humanity, in the most beautiful, mellifluous language. Thirty years were not wasted. If anybody listening has contacts to NASA..." —New Consciousness Review Radio, Portland, Oregon

About the Author

FREDERICK GLAYSHER is an epic poet, rhapsode, poet-critic, and the author or editor of ten books.

Glaysher studied writing under a private tutorial, at the University of Michigan, with the poet Robert Hayden and edited Hayden's prose and poetry. He holds two degrees from the University of Michigan, has lived in Japan and traveled widely in China, and was a Fulbright-Hays scholar to China and a National Endowment for the Humanities scholar on India.

Website: https://fglaysher.com
Blog: https://fglaysher.com/TheGlobe
Twitter: twitter.com/fglaysher