Publications

Chimaeras

writerJohn Heath-Stubbs

The word chimaera has four meanings. In the first place the Lycian chimaera was the mythical monster slain by Bellerophon mounted on Pegasus, the symbol of poetry. In heraldry a chimaera is an animal made up of parts of different species. The word is also used to suggest any idle or wild fancy or an erroneous notion. Lastly it is the scientific name given to a family of rather strange fishes. In this sequence of poems all these meanings are combined in a witty and humorous way but not excluding wider implications.