On the child’s bed pillow shining shells
in his sleep azure voices of the ocean
the Sirens with lyres made of fish bones
Oh Goddess of the distant island
if the stalactites hymn the sleep of
pale serenity in your pelagic lair
and if your gleaming breast contends
the blue circle of starry sea
and if it is a blond crown of honeybees
around the fountain where light pierces imperceptibly
scenting shadows of all-great trees –
you know the crafty Odysseus will leave
Laertis will wait in vain
with his dog above a rock
As He appeared naked from the sea
golden from the dawn water
with his erected phallus depicted in the sun’s cornice
Nausica and the awestricken virgin girls hid
behind the trees
their naked soles vacillating
a crowd of doves made of white light
fluttered over the green reflection of grass
…Out in the sunshine close to the sea
our evening table is austere
Spring-moistened wheat bread in wine
the moon secretly drew scenes
from Troy onto
the Hellenic clay pitchers
Mother you knew that we would leave
and you salted our supper with tears
stooping and sad under the stars
and on the island shelves the girls who
got engaged to Odysseus sighed
Manolis Aligizakis 