Acon by H. D.

Hyella isn't found in traditional Greek or Roman mythology; she’s likely a creation of H. D. Her name resonates with the Greek hyle (meaning forest or matter) and hyalos (meaning water or glass). She serves as a cherished character, possibly representing someone H. D. was close to, who is seriously ill and lacks the protection of the gods.

Acon (or Akon) is a character from Greek mythology linked to the herb dittany. According to one story, he was a young man who accidentally killed his beloved and, consumed by grief, was transformed into or became associated with the healing plant. By naming the poem after him, H. D. connects the act of gathering herbs to a narrative of love, loss, and the longing to reverse harm.

That line captures the poem's emotional essence. The speaker has gone through all the right rituals — collecting sacred herbs, calling on nymphs, recounting past offerings — yet the gods remain silent. It’s a moment of stark honesty within a ceremonial piece: the prayer process is in full swing, but it feels like no one is paying attention.

Dittany (Origanum dictamnus) is a flowering herb that originates from Crete. In ancient times, it was valued for its reputed ability to heal wounds and assist in childbirth. Virgil notably references it in the Aeneid, where Venus uses it to heal Aeneas's arrow wound. By selecting dittany as the first remedy, H. D. highlights the gravity of Hyella's condition and showcases the speaker's understanding of the most effective treatments at hand.

The poem doesn't explicitly state that Hyella dies, but it doesn't provide much hope, either. The simile comparing her to a hyacinth—a flower that withers away unnoticed on scorched grass—suggests she is indeed fading. The final plea for poppies, symbols of both sleep and death, adds to the uncertainty. H. D. keeps the ending unresolved, making it more emotionally impactful than a straightforward elegy would be.

Imagism, a movement H. D. helped shape alongside Ezra Pound between 1912 and 1914, emphasized direct treatment of the subject, the elimination of unnecessary words, and prioritizing musical phrasing over strict meter. "Acon" embodies all three tenets: each image is concrete (featuring a specific herb, river, and flower), the lines are minimalistic, and the rhythm mimics the natural flow of speech rather than adhering to a rigid meter. This poem serves as one of H. D.'s most vivid examples of Imagist principles in action.

H. D. views the ancient Mediterranean as a unified imaginative landscape instead of splitting it into two distinct traditions. Pales, the Roman shepherd god, fits seamlessly into the pastoral tone of the poem's final section, just like the Greek nymphs. This blending of influences was typical in Hellenistic and Roman poetry, so H. D. is not only being historically accurate but also trusting her own intuition to incorporate the images that enhance the poem.

The poem divides into two numbered sections. The first section is personal and dynamic, with the speaker moving, making choices, and gathering. The second section expands into a communal prayer, reaching out to various spirits and accumulating offerings. This shift from individual action to a collective plea reflects the growing urgency: one person's efforts alone aren’t sufficient, prompting the speaker to rally everyone and everything at their disposal.