I will have to think about this poem some more, but meanwhile. I was looking up Ithaca and then thought of Willis and wondered if he was back yet from his sojourn to Australia. Found his website and on it. coincidentally, was a link to a song about Ithaca, where a friend of his is at the moment.

http://jakearmerding.com/ithaca.mp3

Never have been there, that I know of, what is it like?