Osomborys

By Dr. Paul Campanis

Osomborys can be a cornerstone of your life. It rolls off the lips, osomborys. It means "as much as it is possible. Or maybe it is "as much as you can."
Osomborys means to try hard, Timothy and Thomas, my grandsons, to be all you can possibly be in a positive way. Positive means to be your inner self, one that does no harm to any human or animal or plant, and means to do what is good, to reach what is better, as the Greek philosopher said. Go after what is "better."
Cavafy or Kabafi, accent on the "i", is my kin and master. I call him the "wise guy." He is just plain nasty but he's got it right a lot of the time.
Leyei, he says as follows and only a fool won't know what he means. You betta listen or else. In Greek we say "alymono sou." To your everlasting detriment. If you don''t do what's right, an awful punishment is sure to come to you and your kin and theirs as well. The universe is very, very dangerous, so take care my soul to do the right thing.

"And if you can't make your life how you want it,
do this at least.
Don't debase it. As much as you can
With the plentiful pettinesses in this here world.
With the many contacts and acquaintances.
Don't debase it lugging it around,
Shifting randomly and often, leaving yourself open to
Mundane relationships and friends who own you,
The daily ridiculousness,
Until life becomes like a foreign baggage."

Ah, the master. That is what he sounds like in his poem. Only the Greek is a lot better. It has a strange sound to it as though the little guy is pestering you and threatening you both at the same time. He is that scary.
Ya betta be good! Or else. Life is your responsibility and you have to take charger of your own life or you will become lost. "Alymono sou."
Kabafi warns us Greek warriors to travel carefully over the metaphoric deserts of modern life. Inner strength is what we are all able to muster if we just will. And then we have to do right, not wrong. Most will watch vapid tv all their life, only not me. And maybe not you. That is what the poem means.