Tasos Livaditis – Poems, Volume II

Long Listed for the 2023 Griffin Poetry Awards

Poem

I remember when I got out of prison my shaved head,

was round and empty like the globe. No, “I’m not hungry”

I’d say to friends who would invite me for dinner, while

at the same time, I’d grab a handful of goodies from

the confession tray left by the sewing machine, which,

of course, later, I ate in the bathroom. Thus I lived my life;

with the dead, humiliation, poems, dates of old disasters

and visions of future revolutions. Indeed often, in order

to take revenge on those who stupidly believed in me, I

committed small sins and perversions. I never returned

borrowed money, I cried in front of others, I endlessly

talked in various political gatherings, since, I forgot to

mention that I was dedicated to another great mission,

so great, God, that had room even for the idiots.

However, I can’t but mention that people helped me a lot:

women graced me with their infidelity, crazy people with

their advice, and comrades with impossible dreams although

most of these were worn out by the passing of time. But

my greediness covered everything like a gigantic wave

and I had to re-discover them as if they were cut off from

the bosom of the Lord. And my most triumphant days 

steadied their exquisite, strong elbow onto the water

of futility. Finally, to make the long story short, after

I experienced the whole ordeal of hope, I reached

the most abominable conclusion: to believe in man.


Therefore, why is unsuitable for a revolutionary

to commit suicide?

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Γιώργος Μάκρης, Στις πνιγμένες προπολεμικώς

Μυρτώ Αναγνωστοπούλου, Πάνω στο κύμα

Neo-Hellene Poets, an Anthology of Modern Greek Poetry

INHERITANCE

He knew I devoted all my

earthly love to him

I pronounced him heir

of the world which I had

concealed from the traitors

for this, he dug

his grave deep

he threw in it

the inheritance

soon after he stood

somber on top of the slab and

from the depth

of his lungs

he wailed

in this shadow for eons

we’ve dwelt

you and I

the two disinherited 

you and I

the two exaggerations

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ένα έτσι, δύο ποιήματα

Μάρκος Μέσκος, Πρωινή αγορά

Yannis Ritsos – Poems, Volume I

Moonlight Sonata

Το ξέρω πως καθένας μοναχός πορεύεται στον έρωτα,
μοναχός στη δόξα και στο θάνατο.
Το ξέρω. Το δοκίμασα. Δεν ωφελεί.
Άφησε με να’ρθω μαζί σου.

Τούτο το σπίτι στοίχειωσε, με διώχνει –
 θέλω να πω έχει παλιώσει πολύ, τα καρφιά ξεκολλάνε,
τα κάδρα ρίχνονται σα να βουτάνε στο κενό,
οι σουβάδες πέφτουν αθόρυβα
όπως πέφτει το καπέλο του πεθαμένου απ’ την κρεμάστρα 
στο σκοτεινό διάδρομο
όπως πέφτει το μάλλινο τριμμένο γάντι της σιωπής
απ’ τα γόνατά της
ή όπως πέφτει μια λουρίδα φεγγάρι στην παλιά, ξεκοιλιασμένη 
πολυθρόνα.

I know that everyone marches to love alone

alone to glory and to death

I know it I tried it. It’s of no use

Let me come with you

This house is haunted it pushes me away –

I mean it has aged so much, that the nails fall off

the pictures fall as if diving into the void

the stucco bits drop silently

like the hat of the dead man off its hanger

in the dark hallway

like the worn-out wool glove of silence falls off her

knees

or a band of moonlight falls on the old worn-out armchair

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Ευαγγελία Τάτση, Του παρελθόντος

Geoglyphs in Nazca …

Yannis Ritsos – Poems, Volume IV

Discomfort

This morning found him almost sick.

They loaded him with heavy words last night.

He can’t endure them; he can’t discard them.

The house on the opposite side is painted snow white,

unsuitable white. The voices of the stucco men are

heard, very loud in the wintery sunshine. One of them,

on the roof, standing has hugged the chimney as if

he makes love to it. Heavy drops of whitewash fall

on the black soil with the rotten leaves.

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