ISBN 978-1-77171-176-0
Poetry
156 pages
6 x 9
$23.95
Now available

‘In The Second Advent of Zeus, Manolis’ eloquence works its way throughout the book evoking the might of Zeus and that of all the Olympians to come and rescue the world from its self-destructive path. The poet navigates around today’s condition, especially that of Greece, and by floating at times on top of the ever-rough ocean of thought and at other times by sinking deep in the dark recesses of the inhumane behaviour of modern life he manages to maintain a clear vision of what a better world could be. It isn’t with any surprise that the imagery of this book is such a marvel to contemplate on, since such poetic themes are Manolis’ specialty; this book never tires the reader, rather guides him into facing today’s human condition with uncanny clarity while at the same time leads him into the realm of an imaginary yet easily to reach world of idealism, with images crafted in a simple and direct way. The goal of this book never hides behind a mask rather it gleams before the eyes of the reader from the first page to the last.’

~ Richard Olafson
Poet, Editor, Publisher
Ekstasis Editions, Victoria, BC

‘Poetry is one of the last remaining bridges between the material realm and the cared sphere of the gods, an ancestral flame that burns in the eyes of Anthropos, the never-ending journey of the soul towards the Light of wisdom. This is especially true in the poetic anthems of The Second Advent of Zeus, the latest book by Manolis Aligizakis. There’s a mysterious complicity with the timeless knowledge of the ancients and the aesthetical audacity to transcend the barriers of illusory time and become the arcane voice of the Aedo, the Eleusinian hierophant, the evoker of magical songs to help us heal the immemorial wound that still bleeds in the heart of mankind. The poetry of Manolis Aligizakis, rich in sublime metaphors, is a pristine and unique lyrical proposal, a visionary dialogue encased in sacramental vessels of masterfully structured verses that celebrates the spiritual nature of man in poetic libations of soul tearing beauty. The Second Advent of Zeus is an outstanding book, a rare jewel in the convulse ocean of contemporary poetry, a mandatory reading for those who still believe in the ancient promise of the gods, and are brave enough to follow the poet in his mythical journey into the iridescent horizons of the unknown.’

~ Gorka Lasa
Poet, Writer, Essayist, Visual Artist
From Panama

Sampling

ZEUS

And Zeus had promised my return

to face again the loathly
teeth of the abyss
at the ecliptic hour
of a hot July day as the cicadas’
cantos awake the high noon
with lullabies
when olive tree leaves sieve
sunlight and the loaf
allotted to me
was kneed without yeast
swirls of anger and pictures of people
familiar and bearded old beasts of

my kin
softly sprang up
as if
from the earth’s bottom
to release me
from the commitment
of eternal return

caique sails plastered on the horizon
ambience and nostalgia when
I felt my primeval
fear repeated
nothing but a warning of
my true passing through
the narrow Symplegades

ΔΙΑΣ
Κι ο Δίας είχε υποσχεθεί την επιστροφή μου
για να ξαναντικρύσω
τα βρώμικα δόντια της αβύσου
κατά τη διάρκεια ελλειπτικής ώρας
ολόθερμης Ιουλίου μέρας
που τα τζιτζίκια ξυπνούσαν το μεσημέρι
με νανουρίσματα
και φύλλα της ελιάς
τον ήλιο κρήσαραν
και το ψωμί
στη μοιρασιά που μού `πεσε
χωρίς προζύμι ζυμωμένο
στρόβιλος θυμού τα πανάρχαια θηρία
κι οι εικόνες ανθρώπων γενειοφόρων

η συγγένειά μου
απαλά ξεπήδησε
σα να `βγαιναν
απ’ της γης τον πάτο
να μ’ απαλλάξουν
απ’ το καθήκον
της αιώνιας επιστροφής

πανιά καϊκιών στον ορίζοντα απλωμένα
γλυκιά ατμόσφαιρα και νοσταλγία όταν
ένιωσα τον αρχαίο φόβο
να ξαναγυρίζει
ένδειξη μελλοντικού
περάσματός μου
απ’ το στενό των Συμπληγάδων
..

HERA

The moment came when Hera ordered

to throw myself into
the darkness of the uterus

cell by cell
molecule by molecule
the concept of division
to define

I wasn’t that bad in my absence

many-faceted
multi-layered
manifold

the expressionist
the hedonist
the self- absorbed

the clown that I was
meant to become

when the cosmic
compromise
would take control
of my life

ΗΡΑ

Κι ήταν η στιγμή που η Ήρα διέταξε
μέσα στης μήτρας
το σκοτάδι να ριχτώ

κύτταρο με το κύτταρο
μόριο με το μόριο
την έννοια διαίρεσης
να καθορίσω

τελικά δεν ήμουν κι άσχημος στην απουσία μου

πολύπλευρος
πολυδιάστατος
πολυσχιδής

εξπρεσιονιστής
ηδονιστής
εγωκεντρικός

ο γελωτοποιός
που μέλλουμουν να γίνω

απ’ τη στιγμή
που ο συμβιβασμός
θα διεκδικούσε
τη ζωή μου
..

SINGULARITY

And when I sensed the scale was tipping
to the side of darkness

the spirit of Zeus I evoked
flash of steel to light the night

and Zeus answered my plea
diaphanous like a thunderbolt

he appeared on the flutter of the butterfly

and in the balancing spread of the eagle
with his lightning bolt-sceptre on hand

ΙΔΙΟΜΟΡΦΙΑ

Κι όταν πια νόμισα πως έγυρε η ζυγαριά
προς τη μεριά του σκοταδιού

το πνεύμα του Δία επικαλέστηκα να `ρθει
λάμψη από ατσάλι τη νύχτα να φωτίσει

κι εισάκουσε ο Δίας την επίκλησή μου
κι ολόλαμπρος σαν κεραυνός διάφανος

στο πέταγμα της πεταλούδας φάνηκε

και στου αετού το αέρινο ζύγισμα
με λαίλαπα στο χέρι και μ’ αστροπελέκι
..