The Epaulets

Forty years in the service.

Arm Forces, black book

of protocol strong, unbending

stiff like his back which because of

his endlessly life-long upright

unyielding, unswerving posture

became incapable of softness

he duly abode to army orders passed

down to his lower officers,

foot soldiers, the infantry

who always carried the weight

of each command and the general

stands before his mirror to reflect on

exercises, nightly duty at the front

line of fire, a general only can order

and stand upright to observe results of

orders: attack, charge, shoot,

kill, avenge, exhume hatred, maim

exhausted innocent civilians

hatred he felt and now as

he stares at his idol feeling

the most despicable hatred

for the general who knows how

to give orders how to massacre

human dignity, general hiding

his ballooned superiority behind colours

of flag or insignia, shining epaulets

stitched on his shoulders

he wondered how many dead soldiers

represented each and everyone

of his medals, general who

followed a path chosen

by his predecessors, he too obeyed

a rule others put together, he too

led the prearranged life someone

orchestrated for this proud general

who never dared write his own page

in the black book of military rules.

Ασημίνα Κ. Λαμπράκου, Γυρεύω έναν τόπο

Τάσος Λιόλιος – Επιστημονική γνώση

Κώστας Κωνσταντινίδης, Μάνα 

THE GATE

Excerpt XLIV

Then, sleep took over us at dawn amid a whitish and

rosy fog

the face of the tenor dissolved, got distant, reshaped,

the opening of his mouth altered; no sound came out

of it; his tongue was visible, sometimes fat and wide,

sometimes narrow and long; in the bottom the black piano

pendulated in stripes; all around, the drowned people

seemed spiteful that they could hear while we couldn’t;

we, neither humbled nor proud, didn’t claim any

advantages; besides

comparisons were obsolete; softly softened gestures

weightless

however we knew the wrist watches of the drowned men

stopped years ago,

and if they looked at them as if to establish a time or

a musical phrase,

bread crumbs and orange rinds were falling from above

as the housewives shook off the big white table cloths;

by chance a knife shone, hit a piano key, then froze.

Then the unheard voice, the logical: are you upstairs

or downstairs? it asked; You see clearer now or not

at all? Vision is memory, she said, same with hearing;

and knowledge is memory too. If you don’t remember,

it is as you don’t exist; the brotherly dolphin passes with

such a beautiful long lasting movement; its shadow

is outlined on the piano; the forked shadow of its tail

delays on the chords; it touched them; it vibrated them;

sound was heard,

beyond memory; woe, woe, the fifteen plus three; the

heard unheard, who counted?

Up on the surface the woman, with water drops on her feet,

entered holding a big silver tray; aroma of coffee;

A curly purple thread, from the pullover she unravelled

yesterday, was hanging off her dress;

the vegetable sellers had placed their crates outside

on the sidewalk;

the curtain stirs like a vague reminder of what

was postponed.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/w454dzp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGX139M6

Φωτεινή Τσέτογλου, Δύο ποιήματα

Guy Bennett, Γυμνό ποίημα

sine lege, είμαι

SMILE

Although she never learned of it she cried

perhaps because she had to cry

perhaps because misfortune always comes.

Tonight the dusk is just a dream

enchanted the ravine remains

the rain stopped and the tired girl

lied onto the moist clover field

her parted lips two cherries

this way as deeply she breaths

her breasts ascent and descent

as if the most crisp April rose.

Sun rays flash through the clouds

and hide in her eyes, the lemon tree

drips moist onto her body

two diamonds stop onto her cheeks

you think she may be crying

as she smiles to the faraway sun.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/vznd2p https://www.amazon.com/dp/1926763513

ΘΑ ΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΣΟΥΜΕ ΤΟ SHAKEPEARE, ΑΛΛΑ ΟΧΙ ΤΗ ΦΕΝΤΑΝΥΛΗ(FENTANYL)