Virgil’s Last Dream of Aeneas and Homer by Art Aeon is a fictional narrative poem in the tercet stanza. It unfolds the imaginary dialogues between Augustus (63 BCE-14 CE), the first Roman emperor, and Varius Rufus (74-14 BCE), a literary executor of the great Roman poet, Publius Vergilius Maro (70-19 BCE), known as Virgil. Varius reports Virgil’s untimely death to Augustus and reveals that he keeps Virgil’s unpublished manuscript of The Aeneid. At Augustus’s request, Varius relates a succinct gist of the first six books of The Aeneid and what Virgil told him at his death about his numinous last dream on how the spirit of Aeneas guided Virgil to Dis to meet with the spirit of Homer, and what they discussed on the epic poetry: In his dream, Virgil prayed to muse Calliope for inspiration to bring his Aeneid to a meaningful conclusion. Calliope suggested that Virgil invoke Aeneas to guide him for a supernatural adventure to meet Homer in Dis and ask for expert advice in improving his new epic. At Virgil’s sincere invocation, Aeneas’s spirit appeared to him. Eventually, Aeneas guided Virgil to the palace of the queen of the dead, Proserpina. In an impromptu symposium, held by Proserpina at the plea of Aeneas, Virgil met Homer-Meles, the author of The Iliad, and Homer-Outis, the author of The Odyssey. Virgil recited his Aeneid for his revered Greek poets. After their earnest and enlightening discussions, the Greek bards convinced Virgil that his Aeneid was as good as a human could achieve. Proserpina announced that Virgil’s visit to Dis was overdue; he should return to the world of the living. At that point, Virgil awakes from his numinous dream and finds his dear friend Varius, waiting by his bed. He realizes that the time has come for him to depart from this world to Dis. Virgil requests Varius to publish The Aeneid as it is and impart his dream of Aeneas and Homer to others. Then Virgil gently passes away in peace.

Monumental epic poem tells the heroic story of Aeneas, a Trojan who escaped the burning ruins of Troy to found Lavinium, the parent city of Rome, in the west.

Following Homer’s Odyssey: Inner Journey into Human Nature {1} by Art Aeon is a fictional narrative poem in the tercet stanzas. It imagines a numinous dream of the character Homer-Outis (the bard of the Odyssey) in which he converses with the shade of his revered ancestor, Odysseus (the protagonist of the Odyssey), on important events following his return to Ithaca. To avoid awful armed conflicts against the revolting families of the slain suitors, Odysseus takes a life-long exile. His devoted wise wife, Penelope, decides to join with Odysseus; they transform the fateful exile into the meaningful adventures to learn of the mystery of human nature. This narrative poem consists of two parts: Book 1: Into a Dream of Homer-Outis Book 2: The Exile of Odysseus with Penelope Following Homer’s Odyssey is the beginning part {1} of an imaginary epic poem: Inner Journey into Human Nature.

Last Dialogue of Socrates is a fictional narrative poem in the tercet stanzas. It sings of an imaginary dialogue between the character Xanthippe, the widow of Socrates, and the character Plato who visits Xanthippe soon after the execution of his revered mentor in Athens. The situation in this story is the same as that in Phaedo of the historic philosopher Plato (423-347 BCE): On his last day in the Athenian prison, what things Socrates discussed with his devoted friends and how he met his death. But the content of the present fiction is substantially different from Plato’s Phaedo: The main topic of Plato’s Phaedo is Socrates’ arguments for the immortality of the soul. In this fiction, the character Socrates is portrayed to discuss various topics: On the nature of death; On the meanings of mystic words such as, ‘soul’, ‘immortality’, ‘gods’, ‘muses’, etc.; On the nature of justice; On the ethical problems of the Olympian gods as depicted by Homer, Hesiod, and other great Greek poets in their epics and tragedies. Socrates introduces the profound and revolutionary philosophic ideas of Xenophanes (c. 570- c. 475 BCE) who criticized Homer and Hesiod for their portrayal of the Olympian gods as humanlike and immoral. After discussions on the impossibility for any human to know the true nature of deity, they examine the tragedy Prometheus Bound of Aeschylus (c. 525- c. 455 BCE) to discuss the topic of divine justice. In time, the jailor comes in and sends away everyone except Xanthippe. Socrates takes a nap before his execution. When he wakes up, he relates to Xanthippe his mysterious last dream: How he happened to meet Prometheus, the compassionate saviour of the mankind from the Zeus’ plan of their extermination; how he repented to Prometheus for the people’s vile bigotry in disrespect of their saviour; how he learned the deep mystery of the vast cosmic drama of the universe. At sunset, Socrates thanks Xanthippe for her devotion, prays to Athena for the protection of his beloved family and dedicates his spirit to Prometheus. Then he drinks the poison in composure and meets his death in peace. Thus, Xanthippe finishes her recollection of the final day of Socrates. Deeply moved, Plato vows to Xanthippe that he will devote his life to studying what Socrates taught, and to immortalize his ideals by writing them into books for all mankind to study.

Du Fu [杜 甫] with his Last Pilgrim is a fictional narrative poem about the poetry and life of Dù Fǔ [杜 甫] (712-770), the great Chinese poet, revered as the ‘Poet-Saint.’ It unfolds imaginary dialogues between Du Fu and a fictional character, called ‘Bright Moon’: An earnest young admirer of Du Fu, who visits the sick, frail poet stranded on his worn boat-hut adrift the Yangtze River on his final day. Entreated by Bright Moon, who wishes to be his new pupil, Du Fu reminisces about his happy youth, how he studied poetry, and recites classic poems of Lǐ Bái [李 白] (701-762), Wáng Wéi [王 維] (701 -761), and Táo​ Yuān​ Míng [陶 淵 明] (365–427) for his new pupil to appreciate. Du Fu relates to the new pupil his indignations, frustrations, agonies, and utter despairs on vile corrupted rulers and his sincere and compassionate sympathy for the helpless, innocent common people by recounting his own experiences, which he had bravely revealed in his heart-rending and moving ballads. Suddenly, sick and frail Du Fu collapses and swoons. When he recovers, he relates his mysterious dream to his elated pupil: Li Bai came to see Du Fu on his boat; they celebrated their blissful reunion by exchanging poetic chants. The full moon was rising on the Yangtze River. Unexpectedly, Li Bai jumped off the skiff, as if he tried to soar up to the moon. Then Du Fu awoke from the strange dream. When he finishes recalling his dream, a bright shooting star falls. Du Fu blesses Bright Moon to write pure earnest poems deep from his heart and soul; he gently passes away in peace.

Awakening to One’s Conscience: Inner Journey into Human Nature {3} by Art Aeon is a fictional narrative poem in the tercet stanza. It unfolds imaginary dialogues between the character Homer-Outis, the bard of The Odyssey, and the character Odysseus, the protagonist of The Odyssey, in a numinous dream of the epic poet. Following Helen’s crucial revelation of the human causes of the Trojan War at her death, Odysseus and Penelope take on intrepid adventures to the ruins of Troy. On the way, they meet the characters Idomeneus in Crete, Diomedes at sea, Chryseis in Thebe, Tecmessa, and Telamon in Troy. Overcoming many formidable adversities, Odysseus and Penelope eventually fulfill Helen’s last wish to be united with Paris in Troy, even as ashes. But they are captured by the new Trojan king, Helenus. In magnanimous foresight, Helenus sets free his worst foe Odysseus to serve Aethon, a holy sage at the shrine in Mt. Ida. Odysseus pursues a new life as a humble hermit with sincere repentance of his past life. Penelope becomes a trusty friend to the queen Andromache in Helenus’s new kingdom. Eventually, Odysseus finds a lad, who is identified as the son of Helen by Paris, called Ganymede. He succeeds to Helenus’s kingdom. After Aethon’s death, Penelope succeeds him as the new spiritual leader in Mount Ida. Odysseus leads an international school in Mount Ida, dedicated to training young future leaders of peoples for enlightenment, peace, and prosperity of humanity. Odysseus relates to Homer-Outis what he and Penelope learned from wise Aethon about the wisdom and theology of ancient Egypt. They realize that personified deities are not real entities but mere wishful illusions, invented by humans in their minds. Eventually, Homer-Outis becomes enlightened; he confesses to Odysseus that he has been misled in proud vanity to follow guileful minstrels who abused hoax ‘muses’ as their poetic conceits to justify their travesties of absurd divine affairs. He vows to sing of the plain truth deep from his pure conscience without the poetic conceit of hoax ‘muses.’ Odysseus and Homer-Outis become mysteriously transfigured into one enlightened being. At this moment, the earnest and conscientious bard Homer-Outis wakes up from his spiritual dream, inspired afresh to write a new epic: Inner Journey into Human Nature.

Human Causes of the Trojan War: Inner Journey into Human Nature {2} is a fictional narrative poem about possible human causes for the Trojan War. It unfolds imaginary dialogues among the characters Odysseus, Penelope, Nestor, Helen, and others in a numinous dream of Homer-Outis: the bard of The Odyssey. They discuss the beginning, the first nine years, and the fall of Troy in the tenth last year of the Trojan War. Nestor regrets that he wrongly persuaded the Greeks to invade Troy. Odysseus repents that he blindly strove to conquer Troy in vainglory. Helen reveals that insidious traitors within Troy plotted the Trojan War. The poem consists of two parts: Book 3: Reflections on the Trojan War by Nestor and Odysseus Book 4: Helen’s Crucial Revelations at her Death Human Causes of the Trojan War is the middle part {2} of an imaginary epic poem: Inner Journey into Human Nature.

"Hymn to the Range of Light" by Art Aeon is a selection of sixty simple short poems, inspired by the Yosemite and High Sierra in California. They sing of the magnificent vistas and the sublime spirituality of the Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra mountains. Titles of these poems are: {1} In Sacred Haven. {2} Hiking. {3} El Capitan in Predawn. {4} El Capitan at Sunrise. {5} El Capitan at Noon. {6} El Capitan at Sunset. {7} Merced River. {8} In El Capitan Meadows. {9} Reflection of El Capitan. {10} Mountaineers. {11} The Yosemite Falls. {12} Music of the Yosemite Falls. {13} The Yosemite Falls in Mists. {14} The Yosemite Falls at Sunrise. {15} The Yosemite Falls in Winter. {16} The Yosemite Falls in Drought. {17} Glimpse of a Lynx. {18} Merced River in Drought. {19} Sentinel Rock. {20} Sentinel Rock at Sunset. {21} Sentinel Rock at Dawn. {22} Cathedral Rocks. {23} Autumn Reflection. {24} Yosemite Valley in Winter. {25} Mirror Lake. {26} Vernal Fall. {27} Nevada Fall. {28} Prayer beneath Bridalveil Fall. {29} In the Bridalveil Creek. {30} Cascade Creek. {31} View from Crane Flat. {32} Clouds Rest. {33} Hetch Hetchy. {34} John Muir (1838-1914). {35} Glacial Polish in High Sierra. {36} Heroic Pines on Glacial Erratics. {37} Olmsted Point at Sunset. {38} Tenaya Lake. {39} In Tuolumne Meadow. {40} Mono Lake. {41} Looking up Sequoia Trees. {42} Hallowed Tree Stump. {43} Touch of Eternity. {44} Jeffrey Pine on Sentinel Dome. {45} Meditation at Sunset. {46} Yosemite Valley at Night. {47} Hymning Stars. {48} Half Dome at Dawn. {49} Half Dome at Sunset. {50} Half Dome in Storm. {51} Half Dome at Moonrise. {52} Half Dome and Merced River. {53} Yosemite Valley in Thunderstorms. {54} Purgation. {55} In Trance. {56} Prayer to Half Dome. {57} Musing. {58} Moonlit El Capitan. {59} Prayer to the Yosemite Falls. {60} Communion.

Hymn to the Canadian Rockies is a collection of short poems. They sing of the magnificent beauty and the sublime spirituality of the Canadian Rockies.

“Flowing with Seasons” by Art Aeon is a collection of sixty short-poems. They sing of a plain workaday life on the pristine Atlantic coasts of Canada as it flows with the natural cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter in the mysterious journey of our life. The titles of poems are: {1} Family Hiking {2} Rainbow {3} Bay at Dusk {4} Our Children at Play {5} In Rain {6} Free at Sea {7} Autumn Elegy {8} Walking Home on Snow {9} Shy Spring {10} Summer Dream {11} Painting Autumn {12} Blizzard {13} Calm Sea {14} Summer Repose {15} Autumn Moon {16} Winter Blues {17} Spring Prayer {18} Daydreaming at Sea {19} Autumn Leaves {20} Snowy Night {21} Languid Spring {22} Praying on a Canoe {23} Inner Autumn {24} Winter Journey {25} Spring Stroll {26} Birds’ Footprints {27} Autumn Night {28} Snowy Village {29} Spring Storm {30} Summer Sunset {31} Rumination {32} Mute Songs {33} Wandering Carefree {34} Dews on a Rose {35} Migrating Birds {36} On Freezing Seashores {37} Dismal Spring {38} Evening Stroll {39} Autumn Woods {40} Seasons’ Flow {41} For Roses and Poems {42} Gardening {43} Touch of Autumn {44} Winter Desolation {45} Uneasy Spring {46} Dawn {47} Autumn Rose {48} Footprints on Snow {49} Spring Mists {50} Daydreaming {51} Moonlit Garden {52} Tides {53} Chilly Spring {54} Blessing {55} Toil and Prayer {56} A Wanderer {57} Ode to Spring {58} A Heron {59} Eloquent Autumn {60} In a Waking Dream?