Hymn to Helios

Verse // Spring 2025

O Helios, χρυσόθρονε, Zahab al-Kawn,  
     lightstreamer, lampōn en thalassēi,  
     who burnest above Okeanos’ rim,  
               in corona fulgens—
                          aurum no dormido—  
    with rays inscribed ‘pon lex tabulata  
                                  on the vault
                      on the firmament’s rind…

                             ŌKEES HĒELIOIO 
  PHAEINOU PHAINONTAI AKTINES

     …et lux tua, fiat!  
Fulge, Domine, sine tempore,  
χρυσὸς ἐν σταγόσιν—drops of fire,  
yer’ glare the edge of λόγος,  
of the beforespeech before treaty, 
        
                     before coin…

                             REGIA SOLIS 
  ERAT SUBLIMIBUS ALTA COLUMNIS

In yer' mirar, all copper confesses.  
Nūr al-nabī! Ojo que ve sin párpado—  
a ray is a name, and the name glows.  
    What gleams, governs. 
                     What burns, remembers.  

                          EL SOL 
  SE LEVANTÓ EN SU COSTADO, Y 
                          LA LUZ 
  DEL DÍA ALUMBRÓ 
                          EL MUNDO.

What does not shine, is false.  
Tu corona es ley, sin palabra.

Et lucet, et nitet, et splendet,  
Λάμπεις, Zahab, lampōn,  
the Being of the world-as-it-is—  

         AND MY SOUL 
IS HOT AS THE SUN’S FIRE

…

TAT tvam asi…
                    …Sol que no muere…


Praises, Lumière!