Quests- Dannie Abse

Quests is a poem based mainly around the idea of the after life and the question of whether it, in any form, exists. The first line of the poem says "To reach the other world some sought hemlock in waste places" this expresses the lengths people will go to if they think it will earn them a place in heaven or the equivalent.

 The main religion discussed by Abse in this poem is that of the ancient Greeks. He discusses "Proteus" a Greek god, and "Homer" the ancient Greek poet who wrote about him as the "old man of the sea". In the final stanza Abse writes about the after life "Who knows? Not me. Secular, I'll never hear the spheres, their perfect orchestras" shows Abse is not partial to either side of the science versus religion after life debate. When he says "I'll never hear the spheres" we get the impression he is saying he will never have evidence either way, and the word "secular" means he is not allied with or against any particular religion and is therefore open to any of the theories.