Destiny: The First and Only American Epic Poem

In order to fully appreciate the author's ideas for creating this work, an understanding of an epic poem is necessary. An epic poem consists of a lengthy narrative. It is about a segment of time and place in which someone (a hero or such) conveys his thoughts, feelings and experiences into verse. The verse is not a simple one. It is based on dactylic hexameter as in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" from ancient times, or Dante's "Divine Comedy" Dante and Virgil, the Roman poet, traveled through hell, purgatory and paradise in order to reach God. Another example is Virgil's "Aeneid" In this work, Mr. Bucci describes the thoughts and feelings as he experienced them in his coming to America. He included the people he met in his journey through life. Mr. Bucci greatly admired the land that he had become a part of. He struggled through the hardships and trials of life, including the "great depression" of 1929. The hopes and dreams of everyone, he felt were dependent on each individual's freedom to reach out to the opportunities that America could offer them. His work offers hope and encouragement to all who would listen to his words of wisdom. This poem was how he saw the current times in America, the land that he valued and loved so much.