Modern Olympian Ode #34 (1972, 1996) An Ancient Religion
It is a religion older than Olympism,
a religion older than that practiced at Olympia,
a religion practiced twice at the modern Olympics
Its practitioners are known by name,
though their names won't be mentioned in this poem
except to say that the leader of the first group of practitioners
used the code name Issa,
profaning the name of the Japanese poet
And though the practitioners in these two years
were trying to make very different political points,
in the human sacrifice of murder
they were brothers under the skin
a religion older than that practiced at Olympia,
a religion practiced twice at the modern Olympics
Its practitioners are known by name,
though their names won't be mentioned in this poem
except to say that the leader of the first group of practitioners
used the code name Issa,
profaning the name of the Japanese poet
And though the practitioners in these two years
were trying to make very different political points,
in the human sacrifice of murder
they were brothers under the skin
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