Diminio

Strong sun reflections on the clean window panes

criss-crossing each other, the chimney of the small

house supplemented by the arias of the cicadas;

the sunlit sea was climbing up the road during

the high noon and was washing away paper bags,

watermelon seeds, newspapers; the afternoon was

empty. Nothing was left in the houses but the honorable

swaying of the white curtain and a sweaty handkerchief

on the big warm bed. 

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/q9mkmy?page=1&pageSize=10

ADVERSE EROS (1982)

                             For Timothy

                                       But is there any comfort to be found?

                                       Man is in love and loves what vanishes.

                                       What more is there to say?

                                                                             ~W.B. Yeats  

IN THE FOREST

I saw you among the leaves

in the waters

in the light of the leaves

in the leaves of the waters

in the moon’s reflection in the water

I saw you in the lakes, in waterfalls

in the lakes that light creates

in the waterfalls where light tumbles

the light encircling your body.

You were coming to the opening of the trees

walking, floating

over dewdrops

over smooth shining caresses

in the insubordinate black of the night…

ah, the night steams behind your shoulders

steams on wings

and a mysterious triangle shines

on your chest: dazzling target

of beauty.

From the grassy areas to the haired tops

up high to the crowns

of the superior branches  

the highest frieze of lunacy

in nature

the voices of the moth corpses

to the spring of springs

the unbearable bird of sorrow

I hear with your voice

that rises from the depths

where the bile and the soul

in one voice refuse to die.

Everything that’s yours raves

in the thickets, in the grassy empires

of the dreams

in the glorious silence of the ivy

in the silent syncope of the fern

the vinous fainting of the autumn leaves.

Your meaning gushes out:

that no life

is stronger than lust

no act more final

than poetry.

There where you touched me

where I flowered

where I almost died

from where I call you

adorning your other nature

there where I was crucified

where I suffered

for your fairy-like grace

there where Eros was light

but with heavy consequence for the water.

Untamed in the ruling of reality

tell me, how I might see you again

coming out to the opening of the trees

with your thin legs

wrapped in wisterias

with the sperm of birds

in the roots of your hair

you who brings the sky

that I spent hours gazing out the window

the crows shifting their nests

you who speaks the words

that resemble wild marigolds on the hillside

you whose shining lips-speech

you the superior being

of poetry in the creak.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/ry27v9?page=1&pageSize=10

POEM BY NAPOLEO LAPATHIOTIS

LONGING

Much do I long for rainy autumn

with its large and heavy raindrops

its withering of leaves and sadness of the dusk

that once intoxicated me.

The heat of summer burns me

with its high noon sun

and its clear diaphanous skies

while my heart craves the pure north wind

and hail to fall among dry leaves.

Then I shall stoop silently

like the sundown

sweetly to recall, who knows…

the last summer, like a far-off violin

that dives like a whisper in my heart.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/vznd2p?page=1&pageSize=10

LONG LISTED FOR THE 2023 GRIFFIN POETRY AWARDS

2023 Longlist Announcement

Rainy Days

     He had a rather indiscernible face as if read in old passages;

but since he had gazed at the sky so much he was dangerous

since he firstly had, of course, to offer his merchandise;

     therefore he opened a cheap store and sold wood shavings,

since those years were very rainy, ever since the Homeric

era, until, under mysterious circumstances and of course,

with the complete support of the lower classes, he declared

himself king; king of who we never really found out; however

    each morning they saw him by the entrance of the ancient

path as if he wanted to absorb all the guilt of this new day

that commenced upon

     this foolish race.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/ke4yv6?page=1&pageSize=10

MOTIONLESS

There is always a tree

in every small, enclosed yard,

lemon tree or poplar or

something else;

a sunlit, weightless tree

always ready to jump

outside the fence wall.

That way, the trees hug the sun

so the sun can grab onto their branches

and jump inside the yard.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/5pnz8y?page=1&pageSize=10

Έπαρχος

     Η νύχτα είχε πέσει όταν φτάσαμε στο κάστρο του Έπαρχου

και τον πιάσαμε να τραγουδά μελαγχολικό τραγούδι για

τη ξενιτιά και για το τέλος που πάντα έρχεται απρόσκλητο

κι είχε στο κορμί του δερματοστιξίες, σημάδια υπεροχής,

τάξης εκλεκτής ήταν, αναμφισβήτητα διαλεγμένα από κάποια

επουράνια δύναμη, σκέψεις στραβές, ομίχλη που πολλοί έχουν

στη θέση του εγκεφάλου, μνηστήρες φόβου, πόρνες που

πολιορκούσαν το μυαλό του κι άντρες διπλής υπόστασης

ώσπου τελικά ο κόκορας ελάλησε μεσάνυχτα.

      Ήταν φθινόπωρο και νύχτωνε νωρίς η μελαγχολία ήταν

άφθονη όταν ο Υπεράνθρωπος ξεγύμνωσε το στήθος Του

και φάνηκε το κόκκινο τριαντάφυλλο στη δεξιά μεριά κι ήταν

αυτή η αρχή της μύησής μας και νιόφυτοι που είμασταν

δεν καταλάβαμε το βαθύ νόημα της σκέψης Του όταν αυτός

επανέλαβε: ‘Ακόμα κι αυτός ο αυταρχικός Έπαρχος μετά

από μερικές επιστροφές θα γίνει συγγενής μου.’

Eparch

Night had fallen when we arrived at the Eparch’s castle.

Found him singing the somber song of the exiled and about

the end that always came uninvited; tattoos covered his

body, signs of superiority meant for the upper class established

by a heavenly authority, crooked thoughts like fog in the brain

of suitors and harlots besieging the minds of men from

the dubious clan until the cock called midnight.

It was autumn and night fell early; melancholy was

abundant when the Übermensch uncovered his chest and

we observed the red rose on His right side, and this was

the commencement of our initiation and novice as we were

we couldn’t understand the deep meaning of His thought

when He repeated: ‘After a few lifetimes even this autocratic

Eparch will become my brethren.’

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/7pnp6z?page=1&pageSize=10