Comments & Greek artists, modern Greek artists: They placed him there where the wind blows most wild...

Greek poets & Greek artists, Greek painters, modern Greek painting


Yannis Stavrou, Change of Night Patrol, oil on canvas

there’ll be a suspicion of sea
and, from above, in a now terrifying darkness
a white bird will recite my songs...

Miltos Sachtouris

The Poet

When they find me on the cross of my death
the sky around will have reddened far beyond
there’ll be a suspicion of sea
and, from above, in a now terrifying darkness
a white bird will recite my songs.


Miltos Sachtouris (1919-2005)

The Canary

They placed him there where the wind blows most wild

they pledged him to the bitter frosts
they gave him a black garment
and a red tie
a sun pierced with a nail that would drip
black glasses
blood on top of the poison
a staff
and a canary
they placed him there where pain springs
they gave him to death
that he’d shine of silver

The Saint

He stared deep
deep
into the well
its depth
had no end
in this life

the flesh peeled off
and fell bit by bit
soon nothing would remain
but his skeleton

I’ve decided - he said -
I’ve finally decided
I’ll live among the drowned
and among the lepers