Yannis Ritsos
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The CHARIOTEER An Annual Review of Modern Greek Culture NUMBERS 29/30 1987-88 SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE YANNIS RITSOS MY SISTER'S SONG THE MARCH OF THE OCEAN Translated and introduced by Marjorie Chamber~ ROMIOSINI by Philip Pastras and George Pilitsis From TESTIMONIES A Translated by Rick M. Newton From TESTIMONIES B Translated by Martin. McKinsey EIGHTEEN SHORT SONGS OF THE BITTER MOTHERLAND Translated by C. Capri-Karka \ THE ANNIHILATION OF MELOS Translated and introduced by Rick M. Newton From DOORMAN'S BOOTH Translated and introduced by C. Capri-Karka THE BODY AND THE BLOOD Translated by C. Capri-Karka and Ilona Karka A SELECTION OF SHORT POEMS Y ANNIS RITSOS' ROMIOSINI by William B. Spanos ORESTES' COW by Peter Bien FOR A LITTLE SUMMER by Mitsos Alexandropoulos $15.00 THE CHARIOTEER AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF MODERN GREEK CULTURE Formerly published by P ARNASSOS Greek Cultural Society of New York NuMBERS 29/30 1987-88 Publisher: LEANDROS PAPATHANASIOU Editor: c. CAPRI-KARKA Managing Editor: SUSAN ANASTASAKOS THE CHARIOTEER is published by PELLA PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. Editorial and subscription address: Pella Publishing Company, 337 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018. One year subscription $15; Two-year subscription $28; Three-year subscription $40. Copyright 1989 by Pella Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. by Athens Printing Co., 337 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018.-THE CHARIOTEER solicits essays on and English translations from works of modern Greek writers. Translations should be accompanied by a copy of the original Greek text. Manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope. No responsibility can be assumed for theft, loss or damage. ISBN 0-933824-20-3 ISSN 0577-5574 OURS ONCE MORE: Folklore, Ideology, and the Making of Modern Greece by MICHAEL HERZFELD Originally published in 1982, by the University of Texas Press COWINNER OF THE 1981-82 CHICAGO FOLKLORE PRIZE " ... an important contribution to intellectual history ... It should be required reading for anyone interested in the study of modern Greece." IRWIN T. SANDERS, Journal of Modern Greek Studies "Apart from its value as a unique and insightful reading of both folklore history and ethnohistorical development, Herzfeld's book rep resents an exciting methodological step forward in folklore studies." Choice "Even though this book deals with its central themes within fairly precise limits, it is packed with illuminating detail; and its interest is not confined solely to the area of folklore studies since, as the author rightly suggests, the attitudes which emerge in the context of this argument are also of more general significance. Apart from documenting a fascinating story of the reciprocal influence of politics and scholarship in the last century, the book throws an always sympathetic and often humorous light on many aspects of the thinking of the Greeks about themselves in the present day." JULIET DU BOULAY, Times Literary Supplement (T.L.S.) " ... admirably nuanced ·and ·thoughtful ... not only a history of modern Greek folklore, but also an excellent introduction to modern Greek culture." KosTAS KAzAZIS, Anthropological Linguistics " ... ·the book clearly establishes the seminal importance of folklore studies for a full understanding of modern Greek culture and history." PETER ALLEN, American Anthropologist " ... important and bold insights ... touches upon significant aspects of Greek culture that village ethnographies are too narrow to encompass." ANNA CARAVELI, Journal of American Folklore PELLA PUBLISHING COMPANY, 'INC. 337 West 36th Street • New York, NY 10018 ISBN 918618-32-0 197 pp. Paper $10.00 TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL C. CAPRI-KARKA . • • . • • . 7 MY SISTER'S SONG . 19 Translated and introduced by MARJORIE CHAMBERS THE MARCH OF THE OCEAN . 44 Translated by MARJORIE CHAMBERS ROMIOSINI . 74 Translated by PHILIP PASTRAS AND GEORGE PILITSIS Y ANNIS RITSOS' ROMIOSINI: STYLE AS HISTORICAL MEMORY . 88 BY WILLIAM SPANOS BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION TO THE TESTIMONIES 111 Translated by RicK M. NEWTON From TESTIMONIES A .................................. 117 Translated by RicK M. NEWTON Process . • . 117 Perspective . 117 Inalienable . 118 Water and Earth . 118 Afternoon ...........................•........... 119 Almost a Conjurer . 119 The Architect . 120 Builders . 120 The End of Speech ................................ 121 Beneath Oblivion . • . 122 Perhaps He Knew . 122 Same Coolness? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 123 Alone with his Work .............................. 123 From TESTIMONIES B . 124 Translated by MARTIN McKINsEY The Prophetess . • . 124 Ancient Night . 124 Greek Profile . 125 Mysterious Light ................................. 125 ORESTES' COW . 126 BY PETER BIEN 3 FOR A LITTLE SUMMER: YANNIS RITSOS' CHRYSOTHEMIS AND A LETTER .FOR . US. .. 133 Translated by C. CAPRI-KARKA EIGHTEEN SHORT SONGS OF THE BITTER MOTHERLAND 155 Translated by C. CAPRI-KARKA Rebaptism ................................... 156-157 Conversation With a Flower .................... 156-157 Waiting ..................................... 156-157 The Greek People ............................. 158-159 Memorial Service .............................. 158-159 Dawn ....................................... 158-159 Not Enough . 160-161 Green Day . 160-161 Liturgy Together .............................. 160-161 The Water .................................. 162-163 The Cyclamen . 162-163 Slender Girls . 162-163 The White Chapel ............................ 164-165 Epitaph . 164-165 Here Is the Light ............................. 164-165 Building Up . 166-167 Pledged . 166-167 For Romiosini Do Not Weep .................... 166-167 THE ANNIHILATION OF MELOS . 168 Translated and introduced by RicK M. NEWTON UPON READING AGAIN THE COLLECTIONS THE WALL IN THE MIRROR AND DOORMAN'S BOOTH . 194 Translated and introduced by C. CAPRI-KARKA From DOORMAN'S BOOTH .............................. 196 Translated by C. CAPRI-KARKA So Much White . 205 Deeper ......................................... 205 Near Dawn . 206 Partial Resignation . 206 Moving ......................................... 207 Suggestion . 207 Decay .......................................... 208 The Dance of a Woman Past Youth ................. 208 Buildings . 209 Difficult Confession .............................. 209 Transformations . 210 A Relationship ................................... 210 A Gesture ....................................... 211 4 Reverent Comparison .............................. 211 The Other Kind of Accuracy ........................ 212 Encounter . 212 Celestial Sympathy ................................ 213 An Old Familiar Dog . 213 Up.ward~ . 214 Onentahon ...................................... 214 We Continue .................................... 215 On two Levels ................................... 215 After an Interruption . 216 The Miracle . 216 THE BODY AND THE BLOOD . 217 Translated by C. CAPRI-KARKA AND ILONA KARKA A SELECTION OF SHORT POEMS ........................ 237 From ExERCISES Light .......................................... 237 Small Loneliness ................................ 237 Imagination and Reality . 238 From SuMMER ScHOOL Country Landscape .............................. 239 FROM PETRIFIED TIME Noon ......................................... 240 Familiarity . 241 From TwELVE POEMS ON CAVAFY The Poet's Room ................................ 242 From STONES, REPETITIONS AND FENCE No, No ........................................ 243 Then and Now . 243 From GESTURES The Other City . 244 Masquerade . 245 Slackness . 246 The Usual Contradictions . 246 Unnatural Blossoming ............................ 247 From CORRIDOR AND STAIRCASE Excavations I . 248 Excavations II . 249 Scene ......................................... 250 SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE .......................... 251 WORKS BY Y ANNIS RITSOS . 252 NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS . 253 EDITORIAL An Issue of The CHARIOTEER dedicated to Y annis Ritsos is long overdue. Out of the hundreds of worthy poets that flourished in modem Greece, Ritsos is one of the outstanding few, on a level with Cavafy, Seferis and Elytis. The poet of Romiosini, Epitaphios and Lianotragouda is well-known by every Greek, especially since his unique poetry was set to music by Mikis Theodorakis. But as his work has become increasingly available to more people through translation in various languages, his repu tation has grown all over the world. Thirty years ago, the poet Louis Aragon wrote that, reading Ritsos' poetry, he experienced "the violent shaking of genius," and referred to him as "the greatest living poet of our time." Ritsos is the recipient of several international awards and has been nominated a number of times for the Nobel Prize. "When Pablo Neruda was nominated for the Nobel, he said that he knew "of someone better qualified for this honor: Yannis Ritsos." English translations of his works have appeared in many literary journals and poetry anthologies, some by well-known translators such as Kimon Friar, Edmund Keeley and Peter Bien. The CHARIOTEER previously presented Ritsos' poems in translation, but not until now, has a complete issue been dedicated to his work, including not only translations of his poems but critical essays about them. An aspect of Ritsos' poetry that should be mentioned here is its so-called "political" nature. Ritsos has indeed written several poems that are patently political, devoted to the leftist cause. But to characterize Ritsos as a political or social poet, as is