Yannis Ritsos//translated by Manolis Aligizakis

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ΑΠΟΔΡΑΣΗ

 

Εκεί που περπατούν ξυπόλητοι με φαρδιά πέλματα

εκεί που ψήνουν στα κάρβουνα κόκκινα ψάρια

εκεί που σταυρώνουν μεγάλα χταπόδια στον ήλιο—

δέντρα στις βάρκες, αγέρας στο τρίχωμα του στήθους

γυμνή λησμονιά κι ο πελαγίσιος μύθος της γέννησης,

Ιούλιος μήνας, Δευτέρα, φέγγοντας τ’ αυγά των γλάρων.

 

 

 

BREAKOUT

 

Where they walk barefoot and flat soled,

where they cook red fishes on charcoal,

where they crucify big octopi in the sunlight –

trees in boats, wind in the chest hair

naked forgetfulness and the sea’s myth of birth,

month of July, Monday, gleaming on the seagull eggs.

 

 

www.libsolibertad.com

www.manolisaligizakis.com

 

SECOND ADVENT OF ZEUS

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APHRODITE

And Aphrodite granted me her reddish

hymen that I craved
to push open
tough veil of my ambition
hymn that
I sang over the earth’s
green bosom and
on white bed-sheets rough and
unapologetic
where I learned
to measure
feminine superiority with shades of color
as I was born
to enjoy it
during the harsh hours
of peace

Suddenly I became impious
her arms went around my neck
holding me captive
in thoughts of lust
enjoyable and unspent
my folded arms
inside my grave I saw
oars of my boat to lead me
across the little cove
I always seek to arrive
to your embrace
impious I became
my kin’s apostate
profane supporter of bulbs and
ardent defender of the oath taken
under the auspices of the full moon

ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ

Κι η Αφροδίτη τον κοκκινωπό της μου δώρησε

υμένα που πολύ πεθύμησα
να διακορεύσω
τραχύ βέλο η φιλοδοξία μου
ύμνος
που στον αιθέρα έψαλλα,
στης γης το βάθος
και στα λευκά σεντόνια
τραχιά και αμεταμέλητα
εκεί που έμαθα
πώς να μετρώ
με χρώματα τη θυληκή υπεροχή
κι ήμουν έτσι φτιαγμένος
να την απολαμβάνω
τις σκληρές ώρες
της ειρήνης

Ξαφνικά έγινα ανευλαβής κι ένιωσα
πως τα μπράτσα της γύρω απ’ το λαιμό
φυλάκιζαν το είναι μου
μ’ ερωτικές σκέψεις
ευχάριστες κι αξόδευτες
στο στήθος σταυρωτά τα χέρια μου
κάτω απ’ την ταφόπετρα είδα
σταθερά κουπιά βάρκας μου
προς την άλλη μεριά του κόλπου
που πάντα σκόπευα να πάω
και κούρνιαξα στην αγκαλιά σου
ανευλαβής που έγινα
του γένους μου αποστάτης
ανίερος υποστηριχτής βολβών
κι ένθερμος υπερασπιστής του όρκου που δώσαμε
κάτω απ’ την ευοίωνη πανσέληνο
~ΔΕΥΤΕΡΗ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΔΙΑ, συλλογή εν εξελίξει.
~SECOND ADVENT OF ZEUS, collection in progress.

Τάσου Λειβαδίτη-Εκλεγμένα Ποιήματα/Tasos Livaditis-Selected Poems

Tasos Livaditis_Vanilla

ΜΙΑ ΚΟΙΝΗ ΚΑΜΑΡΑ

Ανέβαινα απ’ ώρα τη σκάλα, μου άνοιξε μια γριά με μια μαύρη
σκούφια, “εδώ έχουν πεθάνει πολλοί” μου λέει “γι αυτό ό,τι κι αν
πεις δεν ακούγεται”, τότε είδα κάποιον που σερνόταν κάτω απ’ τον
καναπέ, “τί ψάχνει;” ρώτησα, “ο Χριστός” μου λέει “θα `ρθει κι
άλλες φορές”, η γυναίκα έριχνε τα χαρτιά, τρόμαξα καθώς είδα το
χέρι της ν’ ανεβαίνει, “θα χάσεις πολλές φορές το δρόμο” μου λέει,
“μα πώς θα τον χάσω” της λέω “εγώ είμαι ανήπηρος και δεν περ-
πατάω, άλλος σέρνει το καροτσάκι”, “κι όμως θα τον χάσεις” μου
λέει, “είσαι μια πουτάνα” της λέω “να με ταράζεις άγιον άνθρωπο
—κι εσύ, αφού κανένας δε σε θέλει, γιατί κουνιέσαι;”, “δεν κουνιέ-
μαι εγώ” μου λέει “το καντήλι τρέμει”, την λυπήθηκα, “σε ξέρω”
τής λέω “δέν αποκλείεται, μάλιστα, να `χουμε ζήσει πολύν καιρό
μαζί”, η ώρα ήταν επτά ακριβώς, κοίταξα το ρολόι μου κι έδειχνε
κι εκείνο το ίδιο, “τώρα αρχίζει” σκέφτηκα με απόγνωση, κι η
γριά με συρτά βήματα πήγε και μαντάλωσε την πόρτα.

A COMMON ROOM

I was going up the stairs for a while when an old woman with a black
hood opened the door “everyone has died here” she says to me
“whatever you say nobody listens”; then I saw someone crawling
under the sofa “what is he looking for?” I asked “Christ” she says to me
“will come a few more times”; the woman started to read the cards
I was scared when I saw her hand pointing at me “you will lose
your way many a time” she says to me “how can I lose it” I say
“I’m crippled, I don’t walk, someone else pulls the cart”, “you will still
lose it”, “you are a whore” I say to her “and you disturb me, a holy man
—and you, if no one wants you why do you tease me?”, “I don’t tease
you, it’s the candle that flickers”; I felt sorry for her. “I know you”
I say to her “in fact it’s possible that we lived together long time ago”
the time was exactly seven o’clock; I looked at my watch and it showed
the same time “now she’ll start again” I thought in despair and
the old woman with slow steps went and locked the door.

~Τάσου Λειβαδίτη-Εκλεγμένα Ποιήματα/Μετάφραση Μανώλη Αλυγιζάκη
~Tasos Livaditis-Selected Poems/Translated by Manolis Aligizakis
http://www.libroslibertad.ca

Γιάννης Ρίτσος-Εκλεγμένα Ποιήματα/Yannis Ritsos-Selected Poems

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Μετεωρισμός

Τά δέντρα, μέ τά πρώτα κρύα, φεύγουν σκυφτά στόν άνεμο.

Τό βράδι, ο ουρανός γίνεται μιά μεγάλη κλεισμένη τζαμόπορτα.

Κεί μέσα, συναγμένοι πολλοί, κουβεντιάζουν σιγανά καί καπνίζουν,

γιατί βλέπουμε, πίσω απ’ τά χνωτισμένα τζάμια,

ν’ αναβοσβήνουν κάτι ασήμαντες λάμψεις.

Πότε – πότε, κάποιος πετούσε από κεί πάνου τό τσιγάρο του

κ’ εμείς μαζεύαμε τά δάχτυλά μας μήν καούμε.

Κανένας μας δέν είχε πιά λίγο χώμα δικό του,

ένα στρέμμα χωράφι ή έναν τάφο.

Floating in Air

With the first cold spells, the trees leave stooping in the wind.

In the evening, the sky becomes a large closed glass door.

In there, many have gathered talking in low tones and smoking,

because we see, behind the steamed glass

some insignificant flashes flickering.

From time to time, someone threw his cigarette from above

and we kept our fingers in check not to be burned.

None of us had a small piece of ground anymore,

an acre of land or a grave.

Χειμωνιάζει

Μέ κάθε χτύπο τού ρολογιού πέφτει ένα κίτρινο φύλλο.

Είχες ένα ψάθινο καπέλο μέ λιλά λουλούδια.

Τώρα κεί μέσα γεννάνε οι κόττες

κ’ ένα σαλιγκάρι ανηφορίζει στό πόδι τής καρέκλας.

Τό χιόνι θάναι κρύο, κρύο, κρύο

σάν τό ψηλό κολλάρο τού πατέρα

πού βρίσκεται από χρόνια στό σεντούκι.

Μύρισαν κιόλας τά δέντρα ναφθαλίνη.

Winter Approaches

With each tick of the clock a yellow leaf falls.

You had a straw hat with lilac flowers.

Now in there, chickens lay eggs

and a snail climbs on the leg of the chair.

The snow will be cold, cold, cold

like the high collar of our father

hidden in the chest for years.

The trees already smell of mothballs.

Μύθος

Τή νύχτα ανάψαμε τά λαδοφάναρα

καί πήραμε τούς δρόμους ρωτώντας τούς διαβάτες.

Φορούσε, λέγαμε, ένα φόρεμα

στό χρώμα κάθε ονείρου. Δέν τήν είδατε;

Φορούσε δυό γαλάζια σκουλαρίκια.

Κανένας δέν τήν είχε δεί. Μόνο στήν ακρινή καλύβα

η μάνα η γριά τού ξυλοκόπου τέντωσε τό δάχτυλο

κ’ έδειξε πίσω από τά δέντρα τό ποτάμι.

Κεί κάτου αναβοσβήναν δυό γαλάζια αστέρια.

Myth

At night we lighted the oil lamps

and took the roads asking the passersby.

She wore a dress, we said,

in the color of every dream. Didn’t you see her?

She wore two light-blue earrings.

No one had seen her. Only in the cabin at the end of the village

the old woman, the lumberjack’s mother, pointed her finger

and showed us the river behind the trees.

~Translated by Manolis

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Down to where two light-blue stars flickered.

The Meaning of Myths

Myths or mythos for the ancient people was an allegoric vehicle to awaken the soul from its forgetful past for those who were spiritual and sensitive enough to recognize the veiled truth behind it.  The Greek word μύθος= myth, derives from the sound‘mou’=murmur, which we produce when our lips are closed and the word Μυστήριο=mystery= inexplicable, adjoins with it. Together they form a secret communicating organ for every soul who is ready to recollect the forgotten experience from their previous incarnations.

Every mystical truth when presented by a normal open concrete language, usually is misconceived and rejected by the undeveloped intellectually insensitive individuals.  For this reason philosophers, mystics, epic poets and even prose writers of all times used myths, allegorizes and parables to veil the truth from the unready ones and to unveil for those who were ready to understand.

The soul of man possesses the capabilities to recognize and respond to truth that the myth carries, even before the mind grasped and analyze it. Most of us have been touched with this type of phenomena in the past and especially in our youth, before our minds and souls have been wounded and cobbled by dogmatism and wrong education. Soul responds sensitively to truth and its poetical beauty that encompasses the myth –and which has been lost through countless incarnations. Here, we see clearly the Socratic theory that our soul pre-existed and that all knowledge is nothing more than αναθύμισης=anathimisis= recollections from the past.

The inclination for a certain talent and the easier understanding of some life issues, are nothing more than recollection, says the English Platonist Thomas Taylor. The aim of a myth is not to entertain the senses and the mind by telling interesting stories, but to awaken the soul from its lethargic past. The Greek word αλήθεια =alitheia= truth, is derived from the word λήθη= lithe= forget -and the letter a’ in the front which means to throw away the forgetful-ness. In other words, the meaning of this word it speaks clearly, that truth searching is nothing more then throwing away the forgetfulness of the past or ανάμνησης= anamnesis= remembrance, as Plato used to call.

Every free and undamaged soul wakes up joyfully like a child by listening to the poetic beauty and the truth that myth unveils.

It feels exited, like re-meeting old friends and known events from its forgotten past. This is the grace and the glory that the myth brings- and of which the ancient Hellenes have so generously endowed us with.

The exegesis (explanation) of myth is a valuable exercise for the wandering soul. Although initially it appears as a fable, nevertheless when analyzed, creates enthusiasm and reveals the depth and glory that contains.

Plato was one of the greatest skilful masters of myth producers with his brilliant written dialogues.  He often used myths, imaginations and metaphors to pass the knowledge and the deep mystery, which our life hides. He proceeded bit by bit in lengthy dialectic conversations, manufacturing with scrupulous care the foundations of truth, leaving no ignorance and microbes behind, neither allowing lies nor doubts to creep between his celestial edifices. Suddenly without notice or argument, he calmly finishes his intellectual masterpiece to glisten everlastingly in the minds and souls of humanity.

When Socrates was conversing with his friends about soul and knowledge, he introduced myths and metaphors experimentally and almost hesitatingly at first, as if he was entering a holy ground.  As he new well the misunderstanding of the myth initially by those unfamiliar and has taken the necessary steps to make it easier conceivable. Great care is needed to interpret a myth and especially Plato’s. When he speaks of a human soul turning to an animal, he doesn’t mean that man becomes a beast, but he wants to say that when man cares only for his sensual pleasures (hedonism), he descends voluntary to an animal level, without intellectual and spiritual thoughts as higher human being.

Soul is an abstract word without material substance. No language ever yet managed to outline its subtle nature. For this reason Plato often used symbols, myths and fantasies to lead the human intellect higher and closer to their soul. The myths in his dialogues of Gorgias, Phaedra, Pheudo, Republic and Symposium, are the most valuable treasures that he left us behind to read.

Homer with his story of Achilles heel did not mean surely that the only vulnerable spot of Achilles, was his heel, but he was allegorizing that for every bad act that we do, we will not escape our punishment no matter where we will hide our self’s, it will find us like in the secret venerable heel of king Achilles.

The well-known myth of Odysseus, who was wandering in the stormy sea for ten years before reaching his Ithaca home, meant that every soul goes through testing hurdles and sufferings before it reached intellectual awakening, of spiritual destination.

The ancient sphinx that gave a riddle to passing pedestrians with a risk of losing their life if not answering correctly had metaphoric meaning. It was saying that our life has new riddles daily to be solved, and if we don’t answer them correctly, our future life will not be safe.

Resuming for a moment the enormous and admirable Hellenic mythological inheritance, I ask myself with a heart yearning: Why we are not taught this valuable truth and analyze them from our young age? Why such enormous valuable treasures remain untaught and hidden away from our schools and societies today?  Although we see clearly the advanced of their culture, we remain indifferent and apathetic to learn or study them theoretically.

What would we loose by being taught the meanings of these mythological treasures from the past? Would it not be useful to know little more about the meaning of our present earthy existence, – rather to accept blind beliefs without any knowledge of our life purpose what so ever?

~Karalis Dimitris

South Africa
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