InJohnBarr’spoems,theancientmastersencounterthemodernworld.DanteonabeachinChinabeholdstheInferno:“Flaringwellgasnightandday,/towersriseasiftosay,/Pollutioncanbebeautiful.“Bach’sfinalfugueinformsallofnature.Villonisadmonishedbyanagingcourtesan.Aristotlefinds“Demagoguesaretheinsectsofpolitics./Likewaterbeetlestheystayafloat/onsurfacetension,theytaxioniridescence.“Andhisafterlife:“Whenthree-headedCerberusgreetedhim/Socratesreplied:Iwon’tneed/anattackdog,thankyou.Imarriedone.“
