Yannis Ritsos – Poems, Volume IV

ORESTES

And mother’s voice, daily and contemporary, and
correct, can verbalize, quite naturally, the most great
and most insignificant words, in their most valuable
meaning, like: a butterfly came through the window or
the world is unbearably beautiful, or a little more dye
was necessary for the linen towels or I can’t recall
a note from that fragrance of the night, and she laughs
perhaps to stop someone from laughing — this deep
understanding of hers and her tender lenience for
everyone and everything (almost disdain), I always
admired and was afraid of her conscious, high pride
mixing her little, smart, multifaceted laughter
with the light strike of a match and its flame when
she lighted the hanging light fixture of the dining room,
and she was there, lighted from down up, with the light
concentrated on her well-lined chin and her vibrating
nostrils which stopped breathing momentarily and
narrowed so as she’d remain here with us, she’d stand,
she’d stay motionless, so that she wouldn’t turn into
a stelae of light-blue smoke amid the breath of night,
so that the trees wouldn’t take her among their small
branches, so that she wouldn’t become the thimble
for a star’s endless embroidery —

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Twelve Narratives of the Gypsy

Let me wash your feet and
cleanse your hands
let me bath your body and
your legs look exquisite
your hands are bloodied and
your flesh has suffered for me.
I’m pretty and I reign over
all the lands, you’re beautiful
as you stand over all nations.
Come let our beauties join and
let us enjoy each other’s company.
Over the whole universe
you won’t ever find a Polis
to look and shine as I do.
You named your New Rome
over all the benevolent seas
you bathed me with wreaths
of glory you satiated me with
luxuries, crowns and victories
that you placed over my head.
The Scythian and Persian kings
bend down and bow before me.

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The Incidentals

Leather Shoes
For endless years stooped over
his bench he custom-makes shoes
passionately, lovingly, graciously
the feet of old and young, women
girls and men to protect so they can
step on earth with ease, until
the merciless factory was founded and
with the push of a button hundreds
of shoes are spat out of the mouth
of a modern shoemaker and over a belt
to the huge bin, they are dropped
in various sizes, shapes, and colors
old shoemaker, with his life spent
hand-making shoes for a few
inhabitants of the village, here
where one hundred souls made
their home, here where the walls
of houses have listened to thousands
of sobs and little laughter, sighs
and cries of people who chose this
hillside upon which to build
houses, like the old shoemaker
who stood up to straighten his back
to close the shop and one day to retire
ready now for his death since
his duty on this earth
he has accomplished since he no
longer can step on earth shoe-less.

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Hours of the Stars

Holy Night
Where is Christ born tonight?
Earth turns like a top
evening celebration: a battle
like the times of Leto

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