(Excerpt)
From the forests of Bulgaria
through the oak trees of Thrace
the cedar forests of Taurus and
from the silvery olive tree groves
of Attica and from the yellow
flowered citrus trees, of all
the people’s best froth and
from life’s leftover cinders
knives of murderers and
snakes of the connivers from
all the gambling halls and
the hard labour, prairies and
tents, insults of the country and
cave-dwelling wild beasts
form all the brave men on the gallows
they all came and stood before me:
the imposing and the unrestrained
and the tough drunk revellers
with warring joy and ardour and
they all cried out and ordered:
make the voice of
your zurna, oh glorious crier
worthy of our celebrations.
Oh long nights and festivities
not the heat of day nor the snow
the daylight or the night
will ever make you stop.
https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/gjgv4ee https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3LP7NW6
Manolis Aligizakis 