Yannis Ritsos-Yannis Ritsos_ a Selection From the Forties (1978)

Yannis Ritsos: �

A Selection from the Forties

The selection from Y annis Ritsos' poetry that follows is not so much representative as it is indicative. It is meant to point to certain aesthetic tendencies and conceptual ·structures that have characterized Ritsos' work from the very beginning of his literary activity until today. In that sense, at least, the eight poems published here can be said to constitute an exemplary selection.

-The Editors

58 JOURNAL OF THE HELLENIC DIASPORA

ME�ANYXTA

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Y annis Ritsos: A Selection from the Forties

MIDNIGHT

A great starry night showing its bear claws, foreign footsteps stealing your sleep, what is this shadow climbing on the ceiling cutting the room in half?

Footsteps, a motorcycle, the trigger's sound -the lantern through the windowpanes, the cockroaches in the soldiers' shoes and helmets.

What's the use of the moon's compassion now? Some have hidden in the trunks of the night, some have entered the coffins and travel, some have taken the cashier's keys and surrendered their earth, and this dog that forgot us barks again at the moon, awakens the sentries at the distant watchtowers, the first explosion blows up the bridge, then the doors creak, at the corner stands the squadron, the street lamps fall face down and the train's whistling is heard when all five roads are closed by the bayonets.

Athens, October 1941

59

60 JOURNAL OF THE .HELLENIC DIASPORA

MATAl.QMENH AnO<PA�H

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'X.o:61Jaouy.

Yannis Ritsos: A Selection from the Forties

POSTPONED DECISION

Old winds have replaced us on the bare plains. Everything is so old - and this lamp lighting a faded seascape and the bed's shadow falling obliquely on the floor and the clothes thrown on the chair - the dead man abandoned them down here.

And you, what are you seeking so persistently extending your hands as if pulling the ropes of a ship gliding

· into the unknown?

The wind encircles the lights of the city, torments the trees, uproots the little grass around the telegraph poles -large shadows pace on the cobblestones, each man has a piece of ice in his heart, the soldiers wrap themselves with their jackets, the guard's feet freeze at the watchtowers.

Well, you know it. Yet what's the use of knowing? The matches got wet too - you can't light your cigarette.

Now the smoke stands voiceless over the kiss that burned like the smoke staying on the horizon above the ship that

vanished.

What signal flickers over the spread-out map in the wooden barracks? Outside the rain lashes at the desolate camp, smothers that bugle which had called the names one by one, moistens the benches in the gardens. The children have no

place to sit.

61


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A bloodstained shoe in the street. A foot stuck in the shoe. Someone leaps out of the window. What cold. Yet if you brought the hand to the forehead - he said -you'd have found the last window easily. And opposite you is

the mirror with the thick sky over the lamp that smokes. You'd easily have made a hole in the night.

But perhaps dawn will reveal a new face as the shutters will open noisily, perhaps the dawn. The shining square on the floor. The bed's headboard gilded. An ironed shirt. And outside in the street a child crying out the first Greek grapes.

Athens, March 1942

63

JOURNAL OF THE HELLENIC DIASPORA

H TEAEYTAIA TI.A. EKATONTAETIA

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Yannis Ritsos: A Selection from the Forties 65

from THE LAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE MAN

They ran downhill in torn jackets, with old guns without bread in their knapsacks without bullets. Only with small angry rivers did they blockade the passages

behind them.

They had marched for months on unfamiliar stones on ·the snow together with their olive groves and vineyards -up there some left a leg a hand some a big piece of their souls each left one or more dead.

Then they returned with wounds and frostbites they buried their guns in the rocks, the snow, the hollows

of trees . the barn, in between the roof and the ceiling, in the dark

warehouse leading to the back of the night with a small oil lamp of

patience.

The locked door creaked as teeth gnash in the cold. The snow melted. Big rivers came down in the night along with bones, caps and tattered flags.

The windows shut their eyes. The windowpanes didn't shine. Like blind men. They looked inward.

It rained hard those days. The river came down the roofs into the drainpipes and from the drainpipes into the_ · - streets · and from there into the sewers - and then you didn't kfiow where.

A fresh ashen line of the unknown remained in the city in the night even in sleep. Outside 'the locked rooin in the common corridor just ori top of the door planks, a dead man standing always, leaned his back again5t the door, back to back - if you had_ opent;d he'd have collapsed.


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No thought of sleep anymore no thought of even turning on your other side.

Many dry, dark steps - foreign steps in the street or the stairs around a piece of silence or a piece of ice or death - you

didn't know -around something cold and round and indifferent. And a

small ball here or there changed place, always closed and total like quicksilver from the broken thermometer on the floor.

Desolate villages, dried-up rivers in a ruthless dry summer. Bombed churches. A white wind whistled like the mad cantor who sang wild hymns in the shooting and the priest with the boots of the dead officer . raised his cassock and jumped over the fence. On the walls the slogans were crossed out. Muffled cannon volleys far off, low on the horizon the silence of the lost war. A dead horse

on the slope.

The ice made the shoe stick to the stocking, the stocking to the leg.

We'll return - they said. Even without legs we'll return. The cornfields rustled weirdly as if they were tearing the papers as if they were tearing our flags with our patriotic songs. Two

thin clouds hung over the mountain like two braids of garlic beside the

fireplace in a bombed house. Let's hide this light lest they take it from us - where shall we hide it - he said. The other man gazed at his fingernails. It was growing dark.

They came down do5e against the wall. They bent took their shadows and covered themselves. They vanished. Only their cigarettes, far off, sometimes a red glow.

67


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The snow melted rivers rushed down they left too. Death walked in the mud the wheelbarrows in the mud. On the fallen door of summer they carried the dead. The cypress trees stood against the sky like rebels against the

wall. The sun burned. The guitars of the gypsies were filled with blood. They make no sound. Even the mud

dried up.

We spoke about a sunset behind the trees and the hills about those orange clouds that don't let you end your day without assuring you that something will remain. We spoke about the roots beneath the rock. What can we say now?

A movement only with your desperate hand to chase away a big :fly from the dead man's forehead. How can you unfold that old voice in the presence of April and May just as the peddlers used to unfold a silk floral doth before the girls' eyes? It has faded, it's gone,

·

how can you unfold it before the eyes of the children who have no bread

before the eyes of the mothers who wear nothing else but black, black, black?

And yet they talked, asked questions. They even listened . to their voices.

The woman took off her shoe and looked at it. It had holes. The sun burned the shadow of the tree in the street - the

road steamed.

Soldiers flee run aim fall; From the other side the others run aim fall. Blood runs on the snow through the mud into the earth. Big rivers red rivers rush down from the mountains - you hear them in

the night.

You can't stay outside or inside. Where can you go?

69


T1Jy !YOL�Tj tpU'tflWYC:L 'JtOAU xop'tiipt 'lt6'X.'KLYCX AOUAOUOLCX µc:yocl..cx acxp?troO"fl.

To xwµoc. C:LYCXL 'lt6'lt'XLYO 'ltt' &.tppOC'tO - 'ltOCYC:t yt& O''tiiµYc:i;; xoc.l. 'tO'OU'ltocAtoc..

"Av!lpro'ltot ?totwuy &.'It' 't& 'ltoc.poc!lupoc.. Tl 'tpsxc:•; Kii'ltotoi;; a?toc.Al�c:t µt& yl..oca'tpoc. µ' �Yoe. ?t6x?toc.l..o - &cmpo ?t6?t?toc.Ao ?ttxllocpto - &.a'tpoctp'tc:L a'toY 1)1..w.

TIX '!toe.tot& ?tocllouY'ttxL a'tb :itMrotpl..t. A! otcx�&.�ouy. �ul..AoywuY'ttxL.

M1jv &.yol�c:ti;; 't1jY '1t6p'tcx. "Ai;; X'tU'ltocc:t 'to ?tcxl..o'ltoc.(pt. To tpc:yyocpL c:rvoc.L 'CO ?tp&.yoi;; 'tOU rc:pµoc.vou tptxY'tocpou. 'Aµ'ltoc.pwaou 'ltcxl..a - �cil..c: XOY'tpo a'tpoc.w6xcxp'to a't& 't�iiµ.tcx. Mov6Gxcx oE vc:'ltpol. lxouv 'to EJ..c:u!lc:po y& 'ltU'ltAotpopouy awui;;

op6µoui;; - &'ltoU 'tO �ijµoc. 'toui;; µ.! 'ttX tp'trox& 'ltoc.'ltou'tmoc. 'toui;; 'ltou 1..c:t<i>acxy &.7t' 'tij �pox-Yi 'tptyup-

YWY'toc.i;; µij �pla'ltoYw.i;; u7tyo 'ltoc.l. 'toctpo a! wuto 'tOY xoc.tp6, µij �plaxoY'toc.i;; J..[yo 't6'1to 0L'lt6 'toui;; µta !1'1tOU'KLOC tj>roµl. µt!X !J.L'Kpij !lUµTjO"fl.

Mc:yocl..ot 'ltpo�ol..c:ri;; ypoyllo'lto'ltouv 'toui;; 'tolxoui;;, tjiocxyouv a'tl.i;; oc.ol..oc.?ttEi;; 'tWY O'UyYc:tpWY

'1tupo�61..cx pou8ouy[�ouv 'lt(aro &.7t' 't1J µocY'tpoc. wu i;ou�J..&ot?tou 'ttX O''ltUALtX O'ltOC�OUY 'tO xwµoc. 'tO O''ltoc.µµsYo &.7t' 'toui;; 51..µoui;; 'lttxl.

't& µv1ni.oc.i:oc..

'A01jvcx, 'Ioul..toi;;-Auyouawi;; 1942


In the spring sprout lots of grass big red brawny flowers. The earth is red and fluffy- it's good for pitchers and pots.

People look out the windows. What's happening? Someone's digging a flowerpot with a bone - a white, pure bone - it glows in the sun.

The children sit at the threshold. They don't read. They think.

Don't open the door. Let the summer be knocking. The moon is the helmet of the German soldier. Bar yourself well - put thick paper on the windowpanes. Only the dead are free to circulate in the streets - listen to

their steps in their shabby worn-out shoes wandering in the rain without finding sleep or a grave these days, without finding a bit of land of their own a bit of bread a tiny memory.

Big searchlights punch the walls, search the grooves of the clouds

firearms snort behind the stone wall of the brick factory the dogs dig the earth dug up by mortars and graves.

Athens, July-August 1942

71


rYNAIKE�

Eiviu 'ltOAu µor.xptvec; ot yuvor.rxec;. Tao cren6vtor. 'tOuc; µup£Couv 'itor.:Arivux'tor..

'Axouµ'ltfi.ye 'to tJiwµl cr'to 'tpor.'1t€Ct ytao va. µlj vtci>crouµe mbc; :Ael'ltouv. T6'te xor.'tor.Aor.6or.£vouµe mbc; cp'tor.£�1Zµe. �rixwv6µor.cr'te &.'It' 'tlJY xor.pex:Arx.

xrx.t :Aeµe: «Koupaocr'trixec; 'ltoAu cr'fiµs:por.», fJ «&cre, 6' &v&.tJiw &ytl> 'tlj. :Aaoµ.'ltrx.».

UO'tor.Y. &v&.�ouµe 'to cr'1t£p'to, &xs:lvri cr'tpecpet &pyOr. 'ltrjyrx.lvona.c; µe µtOr.Y &.ve�1JY1J't'Yj '1tpocr1J:Awcrri 'ltpoc; 'tlJY xouCl YrJ.. eH 'JtAao'trj 't'Yj<; elvor.t lvor. mxpor.µevo �ouvor.AaoxL cpop'twµevo µ.e 'ltoAAouc; vexpouc; -'touc; vexpouc; 'tij<; cpor.µl:Ator.c;, wuc; otxouc; 't'YJ<; vexpouc; xor.l 'tOY o�x6 crou.

'Axouc; 'tO �ijµor. 't'YJ<; vOr. 'tp£Cet cr'tOr. '1tor.At0r. cr1Zvl0tor. &.xouc; 'tCG mao'tor. yOr, 'X.AO\tYe cr-c'ljy mor.w0'fixri x' ucnepor. &.xouye'tor.L 'tO 'tpor.rvo 'ltOU 'ltor.lpYEL 'tOU<; cpor.n&.pouc; ytOr. 'tO µE'tw'lto.

1946-1947


WOMEN

Women are very distant. Their sheets smell of goodnight. They put bread on the table so that we won't notice they're

missing. Then we realize we're wrong. We get up from the chair and say: "You were very tired today," or "here, I'll light the lamp."

When we light the match, she turns gently, going toward the kitchen with ·an inexplicable devotion. Her back is a sad little mountain loaded with many dead -the family dead, her own dead and your own.

You hear her footsteps creaking on the old planks you hear. the dishes crying in the cupboard and then the train is heard taking the soldiers to the front lines.

1946-1947

73


AnorEYMA

To &1t6yeuµa. etva.t 6).o 1teaµsvou� aou�ocoe�, µa.ups� 1tsi:pe�, �epdc. &yx&.0ta..

To &1t6yeuµa. !xet !va. QU(j')tQAO xpwµa. &1to 1tCGAtdc. �l]µa.i:oc 1tOU µe!va.v ai:ij µfori

&.1to 1tCGAtdc. m0ocpta. 0a.µµsyoc ai:ijy a.iJ).ij, xoct '1t0CYW 'tOU� fj 'ltOUpCX.O'l'J ?ta.t i:o xopi:ocpt.

Auo (j')tQ't(l)[J.E\IOt, '1tE\l'tE (j')tQ'tWµ.svot, owoexa. -1t6aot ')ta.t 1t000t. K&0e &pa. exc:t i:o a?toi:wµevo 't'YJ�· IHaw &7t' i:dc. '1tocp&0upa. ai:e?touv a.ui:ot '1tou ).e£'1touv ?ta.l i:o ai:ocµvl µe i:o vepo '1tou oev i]mocv.

Kt' a.ui:o i:o &.ai:ept '1tou foeae ai:ijv &x.pri i:'Y)� �pa.ota� etva.t adc.v i:o ?toµµsyo a.ui:l '/tOU oev li?totiet i:dc. i:pt�6vta. '1tou 8€v &xouet i:l� ot?ta.to:Aoyfa� µa.� -oev ?ta.i:a.osxc:i:a.t v' &x.ouac:t i:tl. i:pa.youota. µa.� -µovocxo, µovocxo, µovocxo, &'1toxoµµevo, &otoc(flopo ytdc. xa.i:a.o!?t'l'J fj yttl. ot"Ka.£wari.

1946-1947


AFTERNOON

The afternoon is all fallen plaster, black stones, dried thorns. The afternoon has a difficult color made of old footsteps left

halfway made of old buried jugs in the yard, and on them tiredness

and grass.

Two dead men, five dead men, twelve - how many, how many. Each hour has its dead. Behind the windows stand those missing and the pitcher with the water they didn't

drink.

And that star that fell at the edge of the night is like the cut off ear that doesn't hear the crickets that doesn't hear our excuses - doesn't deign to hear our songs - alone, alone, alone, cut off, indifferent to condemnation or justification.

1946-1947

75


rNQPIMIA

"Ewi� o)l/..to� &.Teo mhpa. ta.�£oetjie TCA!it µa.� 'Ka.lyoYta.� tOY &yepa. 'ital t' &y'it<.i0ta. t'ij� &priµ.t��. T' &TC6yeµrx. at<.i0�xe ati)Y ouyta. t'ij� 0<.i/..a.aaa.� acw xltpLYo� y/..6µ.TCo� a' EYIZ µey<.i/..o o<.iao� 0uµ.�a�.

Aey efxa.µe 'itlZLflO ytdc. x<.itL tEtOLIZ - µ.IX, oao y&,ya.t, p£xya.µe 'ltOU 1·.a.l 'ltOU xa.µ.µ.tdc. µ.a.ttdc. - 'KL &7tlXYoU atl� 'itOU�Epte� µ.rx.� µa.�l µ.€ tl� /..rx.ota�, to xwµ.a., tdc. /..wxcuxouwa., eixa:.Ye µ.elYet x<.itt cpu/../..a. &7t' tl� ht€� x<.itt 7teu'ito�e/..6ye�.

Elxa.Y 'KL a:.utdc. to �<.ipc� wu� - 5xt a'ltouoa.ra. 7tp<.iµa.ta. -fi O'ittdc. �YO� o£xpa.vou atij µ.<:XYtpa., &pydc. xa.tdc. to At6yepµ.a., to 7tapa.aµ.a. tau &./..6you tdc. µ.ea<.ivuxta., EYIZ tpLa.Yta.tpUAAEYLO xpwµ.a. 7t0U TCe0a.1YeL ate vepo &tp-ljYOY'tlZ� 'ltLOW toU ti) atW'ltij mo µoYiXX�' tdc. qiu/..Aa. tau cpeyya.ptou 7teaµ.aya:. &y<.iµ.eaa. atl� 'ita./..a.µ.te� 'X.a.l atl�

&yp t67ta.me�.

Aey �xouµe 'ita.tpo - oev lxouµ.e, ota.Y ot m�pte� yl yona.t adc. ata.upwµ.eYa:. xapta. OtO:.Y 6 op6µ.o� ylYetor.L adc.y he!yoy 'ltOU /..eat «OEY �apw tl7tota.».

•gat6ao &µ.er� to �epa.µe 7tw� 7tepa. ate µey<.i/..o ator.upoop6µt e!Yor.t µtdc. 7to/..tte£or. µ€ xt:A.tcX.oe� 7to/..uxpwµor. <pwt"or., &y0pW7tOL XClr.LpetLOUYtClr.L !xet µe µtdc. x£y�a� µoyo tOU µ.etID'ltOU -tau� yvwp£�ouµe &TC' ti) at<.ia� tWY xeptwY, &TC' tOY tp6TCo TCou x6oouv to t1Jwµ£, &TC' t"OV foxto tOU� TCiXVW ate tplZTCE�L toil oe£TCVCU1 ti)Y &por. TCOU vuat!i�ouv o/..e� ot tpWVE� µfooc. at"dc. l}(XtLor. t"OU� 'M.t !va. µovcX.xo &.atapt ator.up©vet to TCpoaxaqia.J..6 tau�.

Tau� yvwpl�ouµe &7t' ti) xa.pa.xtdc. t"OU &.y©va. &.vocµeaor. at"dc. <ppuotor. 'itlZl m6tepo &.7t' o/..or.-tdc. �pocota., 7tOU µeyrx.J..tbvet o ouprx.YO� &.'!tOCYOU toU�t"OU� yvwpl�ouµe &.7to xe£v� tlj �uytaµav� auvwµ.ot"t'it-lj wu� 'Klv�a� 'X.or.0ru� p£xvouv tljv xor.pot<.i tau� adc.v 'lta.pcX.voµ� 7tpox1jpu�� 'Kritw &.'It' tljv 'X.Aetaµav� TC6ptor. tau x6aµou.

1949


RECOGNITION

A stone sun traveled beside us burning the wind and the thorns of the wilderness. The afternoon stood at the edge of the sea like a yellow lightbulb in a big forest of memory.

We had no time for such things - but, in any case, sometimes we cast a glance - and on our blankets along with the spots, the dirt, the olive pits, there were some leaves left from the willows, some pine needles.

They had their weight too - not very much -the shadow of a pitchfork on the stone wall, late at sunset, the passing of the horse at midnight, a rose color dying on the water leaving silence behind even lonelier, the moon's leaves fallen amid the reeds and· wild ducks.

We don't have time-we don't, when the doors become like folded hands when the road becomes like the man who says "I know

nothing."

Yet we knew that far off at the big crossroads there's a city with thousands of multicolored lights, men greet each other there with only a movement of the

foreheadwe know them from the position of their hands, from the way they cut the bread, from their shadow on the dinner table, the hour when all the voices are drowsy and a big star marks their pillows with a cross.

We know them from the struggle's furrow between their · eyebrows

and above all - in the nights, when the sky grows larger above them

we recognize them from that conspiratorial movement as they throw their hearts like an illegal proclamation under the closed door of the world,

1949

77


01 PIZE� TOY KOD\OY

A!yf7. 'X.'7.4'7.AL'7.aµevf7.. a"X.oi:Yf7.. a-cij µ1Za'X.6:A"IJ -cou 'KIZAO'X.IZLptou. J..lyei;; &a<pii"X.tei;;, 'to 6uµ.6:pL, fJ <pdp"fl.

At4&.a'7.µe 'ltOAu. IloA.u '1teLYiiaf7..µe. IIoJ..u '1tovfof7..µe.

A!v 'tO ma'teuf7..µe 'ltO't! v&vor.t 'toao a'X.A'l)pot ot &v6pGmot. A!v 'to manu1Zµe 'lto't! v&xet 't6aYJ &noxYi fJ 'X.'7.pot6: l-.1.'7.ID·

M' EYIZ "X.oµµ&.'tt 66:YIZ'tO a'tijY WE'lt"fl µor.i;; - &.�o6pta'toL. Ilou 'vor.L EYIZ a'tiixu vck ).uyiiet a-coy oupor.vo 'tO yoYIZ'CO WU;

Bpor.ot&.�eL &py&.. ·n a"X.tck o!v 'X.pU�EL 'tij Ci'X.AYJpO't"fl'CIZ 'tiji;; d-cpor.i;;. To 'ltot.youpt WU vexpou xwµevo a-cijv ll.µµo. To <peyyiipt &p1Zyµ.€vo a' !v1Zv a.no ytcx.M vck 'to xuJ.6:et 1j yor.J..Tjv"I) µ.! 'tO µt"X.p6 '"IJID Mx'tuAo � a! 'ltOLO ytor.A6; 'ltOLii yor.J.-fJv11 j

At46:aor.µe 'ltoJ..u , OOUAEUOY'tot.i;; 6). 'l'J!lEpti;; 'tijY d-cpor.. Kckwu &'It' 'tij o!4Cl: µor.i;; e!YIZL ot pl�ei;; -cou "X.6aµou.

1949


THE ROOTS OF THE WORLD

Some parched boxwood shrubs in the summer's armpit, some sage, thyme, fem.

We were very thirsty. We were very hungry. We suffered a lot.

We would never have believed that men would be so cruel. We would· never have believed that our hearts had such fortitude.

With a piece of death in our pockets - unshaven. Where is there a stalk of wheat to bend its knee to the sky?

It grows dark late. The shadow doesn't hide the stone's hardness.

The dead man's canteen buried in the sand. The moon moored at another beach while the stillness rolls it along with its little finger -on which sea? Which stillness ?

We were very thirsty, working the stone all day long. Beneath our thirst are the roots of the world.

1949

79


01 fEITONIU TOY KO�MOY

Toui:o i:o xa.J.oxa.£pt, art.y xa.l dpaL p.�c,;· -fjp0e 0up.wp.Evo. Elva.t �a.pu "to aa.xxt -coil i)l..tou ai:ijv 'ltA"fjyta.crp.EY"fl pocxri · Kt oE xa.p'ltot µ.fo' &£ i:rt. qiuHa. oe£xvouv crqityp.EYec,; "ttc,; ypo0tEc,; "touc,;. Aev �€petc,; xa.t i:£ µ. ijva.c,; elva.t. Ko:vevo:c,; OEY opywcre tps"toc,;, 'X.O:YEYa.c.; OEY !cr7teLpE . ..:iey �epeLc,; xo:t -c£ xa.tpo 'X.OCYEL. To 'X.O:AO'X.O:lpL !xeL x.ticreL 'tO op6µ.o 't01J &vtiµ.ecro: cr"tOlic,; O''X.O't(l)(J.EYOUc,; 'X.L ot 'E1toxec,; xti0oY'tO:L &µ.£1..rinc,; µ.fo' ai:o �oµ.�o:potaµ.syo oii.aoc,;. "Eyo: a.1hoxlY1J'tO &YOLX'tO O'tOY 1tpWLYO op6µ.o. Kou�a.J..ii.et a"t-1jY 'ltOAti:e£o: xo:a6vta. p.e aqia.tpec,;. "Ea'tptljle. Xli01Jxe a"to axovtap.€vo qiwc,;. "Oxt, oev �€petc,; ...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . · . . . .

Qt )'EL'tOYLEc,; 0uµ.oilY'tO:L. Qt )'EL'tOYLEc,; oe 0€1..ouv ya, �ex.tiaouy. Ta. xo:ptiµ.a.i:a. ot op.�pon£ec,; cri:o l:xo'lteu'tijpto. Ti) YUX'ta. i:rt. tp<l>'ta. -coil Xo:too:ptoil. •H auax6'tt01J. To qitl..t ehow mxpo xa.l �tcx.a'ttx6. "f ai:epo: 1tEtp'tO:YE -ca. xepto: a-co 'ltA<k MtlX. mai:ol..tlX. ai:o op6µ.o. •H vux.-ca.. Kt Tj -cpex.&.J.a.. 'H vux-ca.. Kt Ti xa.potlX. 1tOU ){'CU'ltii.EL OIJYO:'tlX. o1twc,; x-cu1tiiet p.tlX. ypo0tlX. 1ttivou a"to 'tpcx.'lte�t. "f O'tepo: 1tii.l..t Ti atyo:l..t&.. Movtixa. . -ca. oexa.v£xtcx. i:ou tpeyyo:ptoil a-co 'ltE�oop6µ.to 'X.L EYa. xept 1tOU aqi£yyet -cij plix.1J i:ijc,; xix.pfal..o:c,; 'X.L EYa. xept 'ltoli J..a.owvet -co 'ltix.Ato 1tep£a"tpoqio 'X.L EYa. XEPL 'ltOU pli�EL µ.tlX. awa.£ix. 'X.L EYa. xept 'ltou aqi£yyet EYa. &no x_tpL 'X.<Xt -c' li.O'tpa. 1tOU oe£){YOUY -clX. O'tptyµ.eyix. 'tOUc,; o6Y'tta. 'ltOCYW &7to -coy 'X.upi:o a-cix.upo 1tOU &veµ.£�eL a-c-1jy 'Axp61tOA1J, 'X.L o &veµ.oc,; 1tou &px£�et -ca. µ.eatiwx-ca. •

.. A, 'ltcilc,; qiuaiiet hou-coc,; 0 aveµ.oc,;. Ae 0eAEL ya, crwmiaet. • Avotyo'X.1..e£vet i:tc,; 'lt6pnc,;. X-c!J'lttiet -ca. m�Y•�oupta.. 'Avex;µ.a.AAtii.�eL ·de,; auvot'it£ec,;. Bex;crcx.v£�et -clc,; µ.a.upec,; qioila"tec,; i:cily p.a.yii.owv .


from THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE WORLD

This summer, like last year's, came to us angry. The sun's bag is heavy on the wounded back. And from behind the leaves the fruits show their clenched fists. You don't even know which month it is. No one ploughed this year, no one sowed. You don't even know how the weather is. Summer has lost its way amid the dead and the Seasons sit speechless in the bombed forest. An open car in the morning road. It carries into the city cases with bullets. It turned. Vanished in the dusty light. No, you don't know ...

The neighborhoods remember. The neighborhoods do not want to forget. At daybreak the salvos at Skopeftirio. At night the lights at Haidari. The blackout. The kiss was bitter and hasty. Then the hands fell to the side. A pistol shot in. the street. The night. And the fleeing. The night. And the heart pounding strongly just as a fist pounds on the table. Then silence again. Only the moon's crutches on the sidewalk and a hand clasping the back of the chair and a hand oiling the old revolver . and a hand sewing a flag

·

and a hand clasping another hand and the stars showing their clenched teeth over the swastika fluttering on the Acropolis, and the wind starting at midnight.

Ah, how this wind ·blows. It doesn't want to stop. Closes and ·opens the doors. Pounds at the shutters. Dishevels the neighborhoods. Torments the mothers' black

skirts.

81


"A, �'tOU'toc;; 0 avEµoi;; OE 00.Et v& awmicm. IJ>uatiEt, <puatiEt, i;iuatiEt, &va.'X.tx."CEUEL 'tL<;; i;iwvei;; 'X.G;l 'tLt;; <lEALOE!i; 'tiji;; •fotopla.c;;, &va.'X.O!.'tEUEL 'tli;; a7t£0Ei;; &7t' 'tlc;; 7tUp'X.a.t!i;; 'tOU 'X.6aµou, tpa.Y't&.CEt �ya. µEy&.A.o otiaoi;; EA7tloEc;;, �Ea'X.lCEt 'tL!i; <l'r)µ.a.!Ec;; 'tWY ·r7toupyElwv , ad"X.E'ta.t µt& a'tt yµl] v& ofoEt 't& 'X.op06vta. 'tou 7t1aw &7to 'tlJY "X.or.'1ia.At-

aµ€v1J µtiY'tpa. xa.l <pEU"(Et, <pEuyst. Xp6vta. 'tWpa. 'Kt &.x6µor. v& aw7ttiast. Apor.axsA.tiet tiX. 7ta.pli0upor. 'tWY xo;µi!vwv amwi>v. CJ>optist 't' &p�uA.a. 'tWY <l'X.O'tWµ.EYWY. T& �1Jµor.'tti 'tou &xouyovta.t a'tlJY &aqia.A'to, <houyo\l'tor.t at'1] yuµ.v-lj 7tsottioor. 't-lj a7tor.pµ.ev'1J µ.! x6'X."X.or.Aa., &.xouyov'ta.t a'to '1i"1JAO �ouvo µ.! 't& xpor.vlor. xor.l · 'til. xoptixta., cX'X.OU"(OY'tor.t en& xa.pa.'X.Wµ.a.tor. xor.l <l'tOU<;; �pa.owouc;; a'tpO!.'tWYE<,;, 'X.t l)'ta.y ot <ltXA7tti(E<,; awuc;; atpa.'tWYE<;; <11jµa.(youy atW7t"t)'t1]ptO cX'X.OU')'OV'ta.t mo 'X.a.0a.p& 't& �1)µ.a.'tor..

'A7to 'X.Et 't& 'tiiYxc;- cX'TCO 'X.Et, &7t0 'X.Et. Tl oslxvst µ' a.tho 'tO 'tEY'tWµ.evo otixwl.o - o &a'tUqiul.a.xa.c;; 44 -TCpoattiConctc,; 'to 0tiva.to µ.! 'tlc;; µ7t6uc,; - 7tpoa'ttiCovta.c;; 'to 0tiva.w l�w &7t' 'tlJv • A01Jva., !�w &7t' tl]v ·EA.Atioor., l�w &.7t' tov x6aµ.o -tl oElxvst or.tho to 'tEYtwµ.lvo otix'tUA.o cJl'rJI.&.; .H 07tO<l'tOA-lj 'tOU &y'X.UA(J)'tOU a'tor.upou cX'TCO 'tlJV 'A">Cp67tOA'1), \Uh'r) &.vs�a.1vst. fi •EAA'r)YL'>ClJ awa.lor. Z-/jtw, Z-/j'tw, z.fi-coo.

AEu-cEpt& .:;'i 0tiva.-coc,; A.su-cspt& 1j 0tiv<Zwi;; - o ">C6aµ.oc;; µ.fo' a-c' &votx-ciX. CX.U'tO'>CLV'r)'CCX. i;iwvtiCov-t<Zi;; - 'X.t ot 7tpO'X.1jpU�Etc;; 'itt ot &v0pW7tOt 'X.UV'r)"(WYta.c,; -clc;; 7tpO'X.'1j(JU�Etc;;. 'X.O(:L <pwvtiCov't_IXc;; c -/j't(J) <l'iLOUV'COU<pAWYta.c;; 1ttX'Jl(J) a-c& 'til.Y'X.c;; 'X.CX.L i;iwvtiCov'tlX!; c 1j-cw C -lj-cw, C -lj-cw., C1j'tw, l.euuptiZ 71 0tiva.-coc;;, l.eunptiX. 71 0tivix-coc;; - o 'X.6aµ.oc;; v.fo' a-c' &votx-ciZ a.o-co'X.1v'1)-cor. i;iwvtiCov-cor.c;; A.Eu-cspt& � 0&.va.wc,;, A.su-csptiX. � 0tiva.-coc;; ot &v0pW7tOL 7t0U 7t0AEµ.ouaixv 'X.IXt 7tEql'tlXY 7tOU 7tE<p-ca.Y 'X.IXt xa.µ.oyeA.ouaor.v 7tou i;itA.t6v-ca.v µ.e -cov 'X.6aµ.o 'iLIXt xa.v.oysA.ouaa.v 7tou �yti�ctv µ.e -c� Mx-cul.ri -couc;; &.7t' -cov 'X.6pqio wuc;; 'to a<p'r)vroµ.lvo �6:At ">Ct !pxovta.Y 7t&.At &.v&.µ.sati µ.ixc;; xa.1 7to).sµ.ouaor.v ">Ca.l 'ltOAsµ.ouaow ">Ctx.t xor.µ.oys).oOaa.v.


Ah, this wind does not want to stop. It blows, blows, blows, stirs up the voices and pages of History, strips up the sparks from the fires of the world, shakes violently a big forest of hopes,

83

tears the flags of the Ministries, for a moment stops to tie its shoelaces behind the singed stone wall and flees, flees. For years now and it hasn't stopped yet. Strides over the windows of the burned houses. Wears the boots of the dead. Its footsteps are heard on the asphalt, are heard on the bare plain sown with bones, are heard on the high mountain with the skulls and the crows, are heard in the trenches and the night camps, and when the bugles at the camps sound taps the footsteps are heard even clearer.

This way the tanks - this way, this way. What does he point at with that outstretched finger - policeman #44 -ordering death with the boots - ordering death outside Athens, outside · Greece, outside the world -what does that outstretched finger point at high up? The lowering of the swastika on the Acropolis, there's the Greek flag hoisted Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah.

·Freedom or death freedom or death - the people in the open cars shouting - and the leaflets and the people chasing the leaflets and shouting hurrah stumbling over the tanks and shouting hurrah hurrah, hurrah, hurrah, freedom or death, freedom or death - the people in the open cars shouting freedom or death, freedom or death the people who fought and fell who fell and smiled who kissed the people and smiled who pulled the wedged bullet out of their chests with their fingers and came back among us and fought and fought and smiled.


AEu'tEpta 1) EMvo:'toc;;, AEu'tEpta 1) 0&va.'toc;;, AEuupta 1) 0riva.'toc;; cp(J)v!i�ov'ta.c;; &'tOli'tOc;; 6 &vEµoc;; µ' o'Ao: 'tou 'ta TtAEµ6vta. 'ltL fi 0Eta.-Ka.'Aij µ' evo: xouvt µfo' 1n' OCYOLX'tO <X.O'tO'ltlY'Yj'tO µ' &llEc;; "(EL-

't6YtaaEc;; cp(J)YtX�OY'tO:c;; fi 0Eta.-Kcx.J.ij µ' EYet xouv£: «BetyyeA'Yj, BetY"(EA'Yj, BetyyEA'Yj, a1jµEpet fi µrivet aou 0(J)pEt Betyye'A'Yj oo'Ao 'tOY x6aµo» fi 0Eto1-Ket'Aij o£xwc;; 'to µetlipo 't'Yjc;; 'tOE[J.TtEpL 'ltetl OLTtAet 't'Yjc;; fJ 'ltUpet-AEY'Yj cp'tEpouy£�oY't<X.c;; 'ta ou6 't'Yjc;; xepL<X. ouo [J.E"(tXAet

TtEp L(J'tEp Let fJ xupet-Asv'Yl &viiµEaa. a'ta 'tp£et Ttettotri 't'l'Jc;;, XettJ.O"(EAWY'tetc;; TttXAL fJ xupet-Aev'Yj &vriµEaet a'toY x6aµo O''tlc;; 12 'tOU 'Ox'twOp'Yj 'tOU 44.

"E'lt<X.YE xpuo. �£µWYE �ASTtt>tc;; 6 ,!li;xeµ�p'Yjc;;. Tpsxetµi;. E!xa.µi; va µet�eljlouµi; a'tOtxi;ra.. Noc auµTtA'Yjpwaouµi; 'touc;; xa.'tet/..6youc;;

't<i>Y µetp'tup(J)Y µa.c;; t>!X<X.tJ.E voc �ri'Aouµi; 'tlc;; xa.woupyti;c;; �&.ai;tc;; 'tijc;; opy&-.vwa"f)c;;. E!xetµi; va ypriljlouµi; 'tOC 'tp<X."(OUOLet µcx.c;;. llev Ttpocpi:riaa.µi; 't6uc;;. Ilou voc Ttpocp'triai;tc;;; T£ va 1tpW'tOTtpocpi:occri;tc;;; Ta �p&.otet Ttou xeti:i;�cx.£vouv 'ta pou'Aa TCrivou ciTto i:lc;; �t'tplvi;c;; µ€ 'toc xoupcx.aµ.eva.

cp<i>i:oc E'telL 'iCOU 'ltO:'tE�o:(youv O'LO€pE'llLI}; o£x'tUo: a' EYCX µu0L'lt0 �u0o - 'ta �prioL<X. 'iCO:pCX.'t"fJpEho:t 'iCoAAij 'lt£Y"f)Cl'Yj ciTCo &yy'A!�L'ltot i:�l'iC Tto/..A-fi x.£Y"fJO'"fJ ciTCo 'ltri'tt µEyri'Ao:, 'ltAEtO''trX �ou�rl; o:ui;ox.£v'Yj't!;I;. Ta µTtap x.et'tricpw'tet, 'En H�ot cpo:nripot 'iClYOUY€ !.11tUpEc;;, �yo:£voUYE a'tlc;; Tt6pc:Ec;;, µfoot O'ta cpOO'tEL'lla \:E'tpriy(J)yct, cpotLYoY'tett TtOU �EpYii'llE !3'Ya.£ vouv ai:oc TtE�oop6µta. xod x.a.'toupiivE. ToiJ'toL ow oE cpa.v't&.pot aoc v&vo:t, AEEL, crc:o crTCl'tt i:ouc;;. II ot6 crn;(i;i wuc;;; Toui;ot oE cpcx.Y'tripot 'tpE'ltA£�ouy µE0uaµlvot, 0%0UY't0UcpAiiY, tp(J)'llri�ouv, 'tpCX."(OUOii'llE aa vltxouy �6-caa.A:cx. O''t7] yJ.waaet 'tOtic;;. T£ 'tpcx.youoiiYE j "A, wui;oc;; o &vEµoc;; oe 0D.Et va awTC&.aEt, cpuariEt, cpua&.i;t, cpua&.Et, 'tpCX.'ll'tri�EL i:lc;; 'ltO:potec;; %0:1 'tLc;; a'Yj[J.O:i:Ec;; ptX'llEt 'trZ 'ltEpa.µl13tot 'tOU UTt'llOU cixoJ.oyouv oE acpuptltc;; 'tou µfo' a't7] vuxi:o: -'ltotpcpWVEt evo: TtEAWpto cp!pE'tpO, qm&.xnt µ.ta xouvtl}; o &vEµoc;;, o &.vEµoc;; xi:Uno i:o XWTto. "Qc;; Tt6i:E 0a ai:etupwvouvi; 'to cpwc;; a'tlc;; Tt6pi:Ec;;; &c;; Tt6't€ 00>; (.1-'ltopfoEtc;; yd>; O'W'ltriO'Etc;; j &c;; TtOU 0oc tp'tcXO"EL 'tO µa.xa.£pt;


Freedom or Death, Freedom or Death, Freedom or Death this wind shouting with all its lungs

85

and Thea Kali with the megaphone in the convertible with other neighborhood women

Thea Kali shouting with a megaphone: "Vangeli, Vangeli, V angeli, today your mother sees the whole world Vangeli" Thea Kali without her black scarf and Kyra Leni beside her fluttering her two hands like two big doves Kyra Leni amid her three children, Kyra Leni smiling again amid the people on October 12, 1944. *

It was cold. December was drawing near, you see. We hastened We had to gather data. To complete the lists of our martyrs we had to make the new bases for the organization. We had to write our songs. We didn't have time then. How could one catch up? What could one catch up with first?

In the nights when the stores' shutters are lowered over the show windows

with the tired lights just as iron nets are lowered into mythical depths - in the nights lots of traffic is noticed from English jeeps lots of traffic by some big, closed, silent cars. The bars lit up, English soldiers drink beer, appear at the doors in the lighted squares one sees them throwing up they come out on the sidewalks and piss. These soldiers, here, as if they were, they say, at home. What home of theirs? These soldiers reel, drunken, stumble, shout, sing as if they had pebbles on their tongues. What are they singing for? Ah, this wind does not want to stop, it blows, blows, blows, shakes the hearts and the flags brings down the tiles of sleep its hammering echoes in the night -it nails a huge coffin, it makes a cradle the wind, the wind . beat after beat. How long will they crucify the light on the doors? How long will you be able to remain silent? How far will the

knife reach?

* The date on which Athens was liberated from the Germans.


K&.YEt<;; ya 7t&.pet<;; -i:o µua-i:pl ya µmxA<l>aEL<;; 'tL<;; 1tA'fjy€<;; &.7t' 'tL<;; acpix!pE<;; aou 1tel.tpYOUY 't:O µua'tpt ')t(l.1 'tO XEpL, X<l.YEL<;; ya 01tElpEL<;; O'tO Oel.'X.IX't:EµEYO &.ypo µta cpOUX't:IX a-i:&.pt aou 7tixlpvouv 'toY &.ypo xel.l 'to a-c&.pt, x&.veti;; voc XCl.µoyeA&.aet<;; a'to l.t6yepµCl. aou 1tel.tpYOUY -coy 'ijAto xixl 'to 'ltpoaonrn. Ilou 9' &.'itixyyt&.aet<;;; !:ou 'X.AE�OUY to '(EAto, aou 'X.AE�OUY ')t(l.L 'tO Mxpu. Ilou e& a-cix9e! 1j

&.y&.1t"IJ j Mtoc ).6YX"IJ &.a-cp&.cp-cst 1.mpoa-i:oc a-co tjiwµl µtCt. AOYX"IJ 'tpU1tUL 'tO 'ltel.tol µfo' a-cijy XOLALOC -ciji;; µ.<l.Yel.<;;. 'Acpija-cs µ.tx.i;; &.cpija-cs µixi;; Ya aµl�ouµE -ca XEPLtx., &.cpija'ts a.1hov -coy &Ysµo v& a-csyv<l>aet -ca µ.&.-i:ttx.. Ta 'ltixtot&. µtx.<;; xotµountx.t x&.'tOt.i &'it' -ca �ouva.·, - &.cpija'tE µtx.<;; Ya xl.&.tjiouµE ta 1ttx.tot&. µtx.i;;, &.cpija-cs 'ttx. y' &.xofoouy to -cp(�tµo tWY cm6pwv - yt' tx.o-i:o 'ltEatx.Ys yta v& µij As£4Et 'tO tjiwµl &.'it' 'tO 'tptx.'ltE�t, Ya µijy 1ts9&.Yet 1j pl�et. 'tOU xtx.µ6ys).ou µfo' a-cijy ')(.et.pol&. µct<;. Tou-co<;; b

£ysµoi;; xpct't&.Et -co tx.!µ(X 'tOU<;; xctl -cij cpwv� 'tOU<;;. 'Acpija-cs µ(Xi;.

ErYctt µey&.:A.oi;; -cou-coi;; b &vsµoi;; E!Yctt '/tSA<l>(M<;; 'tOU'tO<;; b &YEµoi;; SLYctt x(XpOUµ.EYO<;;, XctpouµsYO<;;, x(XpouµsYoi;;, plxvst 'tOC -cslx"IJ 1tOU utjiwactY &v&.µsa(X a-coui;; A(XOU<;; p£xvet -ca 'tstX"IJ -cou Stx.v&.-cou plxvst -i:oc -ce£x'Yl &y&.µsa(X a-co you ')(.(XL a-cijv xtx.pot& -ca -cs!x"IJ &.y&.µsaix a€ aEY(X xtx.l a€ µitvix ')(.L &yo(yst ot&.'ltAIX'tlX, 7t&.you &7t' 'tOY EYCl. x6aµo, 'tOU ·�ALOU 'lt(Xp&.9upo. 'Axoua'tE 1tW<;; acpup£�Et -cou-coi;; o iiYsµoi;; µfo(X O'tl<;; µa-cwµEYE<;; '(SL'tOYLE<;; 'tOU x6aµou.


You try to take the trowel to patch the bullet wounds and they take both the trowel and the hand from you, you try to sow a handful of grain in the mutilated field they take from you both the field and the grain, you try to smile at the sunset they take from you both the sun and your face. Where can

you moor? They steal from you the smile, they steal even your tears. Where

will love stay? A bayonet gleams in front of the bread a bayonet pierces the child in the mother's belly. Let us let us join our hands, let this wind dry our eyes. Our children sleep under the mountains, - let us weep for our children, let them hear the crackling of the seeds - that's why they fell so that bread won't be missing from the table, so that the root of the smile will not die in our hearts. This wind keeps their blood and their voice. Let us.

This wind is big it is huge this wind it is joyful, joyful, joyful, knocks down the walls raised between the peoples knocks down the walls of death knocks down the walls between the mind and the heart the walls between you and me and opens wide over the one world, the sun's window. Listen how this wind whistles in the bloodstained neighborhoods of the world.

Makronisos, Ai-Stratis, 1949-1951

translated from the Greek by Athan Anagnostopoulos

87

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