Yannis Ritsos – Poems, Volume IV

THE GATE

Excerpt LV

It spreads water and honey on my lips during

            the sleepless nights

when the dead stir under the heavy snoring of

            the soldiers

worms poked out of the soil, crawled onto

            the table

they’re all holes, he said, ready for transformation

since fear lurks under the carpet of the entrance or

            exit,

widened fear like the inside part of the gentle skin

            of the animal.

For this, I’m saying to you, it takes a lot of work

on the saw, the axe, the chisel, the spade,

the drill, pliers, teeth, stones, and other softer

             things,

feathers, breeze, words, eyelid twinkle,

             shiver.

https://www.lulu.com/account/projects/w454dzp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGX139M6