Redesign collected poems of Odysseus Elytis

The collected poems of

Odysseus Elytis1

2

An experimental project of the white space in book design

3

FIRST POEMS 7

8

Of the Aegean

Climate of Absence

13

Contents Orientations

16

Second Nature

Seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

Windows toward the Fifth Season

4

27

20

Orion

38

Anniversary

45

Orientations 37

5

ORIENTATIONS Depart dans l’affection et le bruit neufs.

RIMBAUD, “Depart,” Illuminations

6

FIRST POEMS

7

of the Aegean

of the Aegean

I

Eros The archipelago And the prow of its foams

FIRST POEMS

And the gulls of its dreams On its highest mast the sailor waves A song

Eros Its song And the horizons of its voyage And the echo of its nostalgia On her wettest rock the betrothed awaits A ship

8

Eros Its ship And the nonchalance of its summer winds And the jib of its hope On its lightest undulation an island cradles The coming.

9

of the Aegean

FIRST POEMS

of the Aegean

II

The playing waters In shady passages Speak the dawn with their kisses Which begins HorizonAnd the wild doves vibrate A sound in their cave Blue waking in the fount Of day Sun-

10

The northwester gives the sail To the sea Caresses of hair To the care freeness of its dream DewWave in the light Again gives birth to the eyes Where Life sails toward Far-seeing Life-

11

of the Aegean

FIRST POEMS

of the Aegean

III

Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparentA blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took theG blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs itsA promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros The gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparentG blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its promise - Sea surf. Sea surfkiss on its caressed sand-Eros 12gull gives the horizon Its blue liberty Waves go come Foaming answering in the ears of shells Who took the The blond sunburnt girl? The sea breeze with its transparent blowing Tilts the sail of dream Far out Eros murmurs its

climate of absence I

All the clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand All the clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was to bound in a knot of of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed the earth A grief my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound a knot of sadness.

All the clouds confessed to theinearth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew melancholy I was to bound in a knot of of sadness.

All the clouds confessed the earth A grief my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew melancholy I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound a knot of sadness.

All the clouds confessed to theinearth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew melancholy I was to bound in a knot of of sadness.

All the clouds confessed the earth A grief my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew melancholy I was bound inearth a knot of sadness.

All the clouds confessed to the A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew melancholy I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound a knot of sadness.

All the clouds confessed to theinearth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant 13 hand Grew melancholy I was bound in a knot of sadness.

All themelancholy clouds confessed to the earth A grief of my own took their place And when in my hair the unrepentant hand Grew I was bound in a knot of sadness.

Grew melancholy I was bound in a knot of sadness.

Grew melancholy I was bound in a knot of sadness.

climate of absence

climate of absence

II

The hour forgot itself as evening came on Without memory With its speechless

FIRST POEMS

tree Facing the sea It forgot itself as evening came on Without flutter With its immobile face Facing the sea As evening came on Without eros With its unyielding mouth Facing the sea And I-amid the SerenityI enticed.

14

climate of absence III

Afternoon And its imperial isolation And the affection of its winds And its daring splendor Nothing coming Nothing going All foreheads naked And for feeling a crystal.

15

Second Nature

FIRST POEMS

second nature

I

A

16

sm ile!

Its

prin as dyn cess e h t desired T o be born below

se f ro o ty

s!

Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great

Second

adventuresNature While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid

II

its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My leaves Butterflies cence Takes

eyes wide open amid its images Around live great adventures off her last

the all green success of While innolie Sweet

adven-

ture

Sweet

Life. Time

is

a

quick shadow of amid its images Around the

birds My eyes all green success of leaves Butterflies

wide open live great adventures

While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last lie Sweet adventure Sweet Life. Time is a quick shadow of birds My eyes wide open amid17its images Around the all green success of leaves Butterflies live great adventures While innocence Takes off her last

18

FIRST POEMS

second nature

Second Nature III

Be-

fore

I had eyes

you were

light Before Eros love And when the kiss took you A woman.

Epigram

19

FIRST POEMS

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

I

20

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs II

itiou

truding melo dy M ce an in silen istr e nce And beh e l i h s ess t e h t i t d n h d n En g the hi ou ch r g u h o t r t e b h b t e s h s g b t i i i l l e l r h e n a d ce A nc antr st ig i l s e n e e c e h e t n An starl itious And u gh t e s beh d be an s op ht bro r u i h c e nd P o e silen an intrud t h e i nd rlig d th e. i er s sta ehin of former sound ng m sN elo siu d b tress o An han onfidence And its i w th dy nc e nc ed c ce an intrudin ura ck silen g e he d confid nce An d e of k tress foran h in d be r-

gh

le vertigo-th s incurab ere . nd it ce A w remains And its crac de n k hado e s nfi ng e weakening shado d con co e ni ow th wr fid ed eak nds N e m the weakening sh ain ence w ck ado ou ds Now ra the s w A rs n ema r i n e A s w r A e n d its ma nd n w orm r sou g shado n cra it in i t s d i n n c u f f rme keni rabl nce A e v cked s A a ide fo e nc e A n we conf d b he sile ehi rtigo co he ed ught t nd -th unds Now the ck ro r so w t he t b rme ous starlight b eake o piti ff r o Pr akening sha oug do e e. w ing me w e lo trud in t the si l

s

ow the weakening shad ds N ow n u o re istress Enchantress er s of fo main ody M l m e r s A o m r m e g l m f ody Mi udin er stres of uding n n intr s a o e s r c un d it Enc ng melody Mistres i int silen sc d d u h r sE s a int the e an nchantress of former so nchan ntre No ss c E und tr len stress s N ess o shadow remains g i n o i ow An n f M ake t o-there. Propitiou d its we vertig c s ra st stress Ench ant arlig ble ody Mi l r h e me ncurable vertigo- ss o i t its r sounds No her w me silenc t ea h e h t n tb ligh rou P ro p

ere. Propitious starligh t br go-th oug erti d its incurable v e le v ce An r t i go- ht th rab nfiden t he ce And its inc es cu o nfiden u r r in a d c ed co b le v e. Pr ilen its cke ck incurable vertigo op c e a r d t r h t ra d it s c e i n r e . P go-t iti s c its ce A starlight brought ro h ous t h nd den e piti sil pitio ding melody i en Pro n intru nf M a i e. s tr e c e er nce w remains An ss di ado e E ts sil g sh ilence And b n ehi cra es ni h n t n A d its c d t ht ains r m re tress En ac Mis ch dy e And c en s st a

21

sA

h st

ike

la ag

e nc

we it s

rve

s

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

All the fin ge

rs

Sil

en ce

Ou tsid et

he dre a

m’ s

nd wi un open window The confession Slowly

l nd sA

ll t ars !A the tow ard

se res ec yp

to int sp o

22 n sio fes on ec Th ow ind nw pe ’s o am dre the midnight All the fingers Silence Outside

n pe ’s o am dre he et tsid Ou ce en Sil rs ge fin All the cypresses point to midnight All the

S l o wl yu

nw ind

ike a nd l

ei t gla nc

FIRST POEMS seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

III

!A ars ll t

wi

igh

res

h yp ec

nd

ow Th e

co

nfe

se

ssi

o sp

on

int to

Slo wl

dn mi

yu nw ind

t

st

And like a glance it swerves toward the

s

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs IV

A shoulder naked As truth Pays its precision To this edge of evening Shining all alone Beneath the mystic half-moon Of my nostalgia.

23

V Unguarded night was seized by memories

Mauve

Red

Yellow

FIRST POEMS

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

Her open arms were filled by sleep

Her relaxed hair by wind

Her eyes by silence.

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seven Nocturnal Heptastichs VI

25

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs

seven Nocturnal Heptastichs VII

oon

he m

ft mo

ow

e br

th on

FIRST POEMS

e ace diad surf e e h h t T are s sh ght i w n o d of sha ced the n e acti r h p W the ion d by s i e r v u s Of mea ain p And ses y llap o ss b c ear ily sele r u a t e lun mad Invo dea i e h de t Insi y hol anc l e m . aps le-t . s by Bug e-taps eles l s g u u y B ade hol anc ea m d i ses mel the llap o e ced c d ily acti Insi r r a p t e lun y th Invo db e r su ace surf mea ear e n h i t pa are And s sh n w w o i o bro vis ad Of the e sh n h t o en on Wh mo e t h h t f ig mo of n ade i d The

26

windows toward the Fifth Season I Do you know the hair that wrote the wind?

The glances that paralleled the time?

The silence that felt itself?

But you are a nocturnal invention that takes pleasure in rainy confidences. That takes pleasure in the three-masted opening of the sea. You are an unachievable case that reigns when it shipwrecks. You are a gaudy catastrophe. . . .

Ah! I want the elements that know how to grasp to come. The middle of my meditation will delight their curving disposition. When expanding rings ascend then the sudden sky will take on the color of my penultimate sin.

While the last sin will still be enchanted by these solitary words!

27

windows toward the fifth season

windows toward the Fifth Season II

The sound of feet ends at the edge of hearing.

A strained tempest pours into the youthful breast that squanders

FIRST POEMS

its inexplicable radiance.

Desire has a very high stature and in its palms burns absence.

Desire gives birth to the road on which it wants to walk. It leaves ...

And toward it a people of hands ignites admiration’s fireprey.

28

windows toward the Fifth Season III

How lovely!

She has taken the form of the thought that feels her when she feels it consecrated to her. . . .

29

IV

Mouths resembled My summer abandonments have hidden them-

FIRST POEMS

windows toward the fifth season

windows toward the Fifth Season

colors and fled the flowers. The waters of early morning stopped their speech nocturnal and untouched.

selves in my ageless vine yards. An undulation of dream drew back and left

It’s as if nothing were known anymore.

them there and asked nothing.

30

In their deaf nets a swarm of

And yet there is a feeling

bees turned its buzzing around.

behind this ignored little

mountain. . . .It has neither tears nor conscience.

It does not leave it does not return.

windows toward the Fifth Season

An

V

sib

in vi le

e

f e s tiv al

an or

m s

ak e

ce

d

de sir e

rn

te

af

at

n.

su h rfa out cm Aes s hi ne

oo

lo ve .

A n d thIts e. ey

re

ef

ar

sc

ow

bl

.A

hi

fin d

t os

t

a th

e th

fe el

of

th e

ck ba

th e

ith in

sw

irg n in w a l l do we lo w t f dne s

he ir v

es ey

in

hi m se lf. y.

H nc a rde c an ve al rn tu c no

lie ve

is fh an O e s. v yee se nb e

c

of

an

m

ls

.D

ou bt y m ms of lips ss ne

ee p

sl

pi pu

to

pu e t th m an n in ey ev tru th s e

r su

ea pl

th

e

of

un d

es at tra sl i ns f it stho ge e so

tr

th

ne

id

am

en es pr

ol co

di a

s

p h an ou

31

windows toward the Fifth Season

de

t

e

er

yo u od

flee

flo O e

Fle

ro

e ed

e

le r! F

d eO

ed em

h ew esir

en

n

rl ea

y

re

t.

l

tw

es

er

t

ra i

fy

u

ev

n, ear

the hen

ha nt

de

yo u o

will

i

O life like a

ar.

o

ce

ill

t

hy is w

a sp

kn

ow

runs

no

g hin

And i

32

be sad.

T

cle

st.

ss

m

cre ain t n ou

th

e

ha

Ar

o

VI

mo

u

i nta

nc

r

embraces of gardens yearn for nothing more. In the touch of your palms the fruits will

rejoice that now hang purposeless. In the transparent support of your stature the trees

will find the lengthy fulfillment of their whispered isolation. In your first carefreeness the

Then you will open within me fans of feelings. Tears of conscience pre-

ance! The disappearremote Come then well.

path loved the hill and the affectionate winds whose protection was luminous. The foota volition went to make her its own she vanished blown by she had hidden behind the shadow of my desire and when my eyes (as my eyelids had fulfilled the request of their sun)

VII

cious stones returns and absences. And while the sky runs beneath the

hill now knows the secret

their elbows. All poetry on their ex-

footfall of that diaphanous kore. She had fled the morning of

confidences? Two arms are

grasses will increase like hopes. Your presence will cool the coolness.

waiting. The whole earth leans on

pectation. Behind the hill is the footpath incised by the fresh

Tales nurtured the sprouting of the age that raises the bitter orange trees and lemon trees up to the amazement of my eyes. What would happiness have been with its unachieved body if it had

windows toward the Fifth Season

got tangled in the flirtations of these verdant

33

tion!

sure restora-

dreams a

difficult

of the most

To the liturgy

Then we shall give

the shape of eros missing from these visions

bridges of our interlocked arms while the most precious calyxes match our cheeks we shall give

34

35

36

Orientations

37

ORION

Orion

I

The world reconciled itself to bitterness Shooting-star lies left the lips Night freed From noise and care Is transformed in us And its new silence shines with revelation

Orientations

We find our head in God’s hands.

38

thly

f ear

od he

in t

ry o

mo

me

e Th

e

blo

Tim

er m ean

ern T o oth

conc

es

fac

rth Th

of ea

lead ed o

pulse

And

s us

strip p

hts

ur

fo

is the

eig

here

W ings

urse

s co

ange

e ch

A prayer transfigures i ts h

ORION

II

selfsame journey?

39

ORION

es

Ro l ak wers of futile

Orientations

pe r

40

sta rs ne igh bo ro

rth’s skin We fi ng er e

ou r

d

g in

st time the la No For w

e

t ea le f

d! ur forehea

wo rd

hi s-

nts of perisha bl nda e e c te es ar s

W

D

Orion

III

w s’ s In the tree

ORION

Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable Illumination Illumination You dress every hovering You dress every hovering concept concept Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Equanimity Equanimity

There the query that sepa- There the query that separates itself from us rates itself from us You are everywhere You You are everywhere You share share IV Our dark harps Our dark harps Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Image oh! immutable Image oh! Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable Illumination immutable Illumination Illumination You dress every hovering Illumina- You dress every hovering You dress every hovering concept tion concept concept You dress Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Equanimity every Equanimity Equanimity hovering concept There the query that sepa- There the query that sepa- There the query that separates itself from us Which rates itself from us rates itself from us You are everywhere You brings our You are everywhere You You are everywhere You share hope near share share Our dark harps Equanimity Our dark harps Our dark harps Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable Image oh! Image oh! immutable Illumination Illumination immutable Illumination You dress every hovering You dress every hovering Illumina- You dress every hovering concept concept concept tion You dress Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Equanimity Equanimity Equanimity every hovering concept There the query that sepa- There the query that sepa- There the query that separates itself from us Which rates itself from us rates itself from us You are everywhere You brings our You are everywhere You You are everywhere You share hope near share share Our dark harps Equanimity Our dark harps Our dark harps Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Image oh! Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable immutable Illumination Illumination Illumination Illumina- You dress every hovering You dress every hovering You dress every hovering tion concept concept concept You dress Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near every Equanimity Equanimity Equanimity hovering concept There the query that sepa- There the query that sepa- There the query that sepaWhich rates itself from us rates itself from us rates itself from us brings our You are everywhere You You are everywhere You You are everywhere You hope near share share share Equanimity Our dark harps Our dark harps Our dark harps Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Immaterial sheath.

Image oh! Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable Image oh! immutable immutable Illumination Illumination Illumination Illumina- You dress every hovering You dress every hovering You dress every hovering tion concept concept concept You dress Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near Which brings our hope near every Equanimity Equanimity Equanimity

41

ORION

V

Our eyes left but Be-

our souls went ahead

Orion

At ing

High-

A

er up Serenity is

An of

united

her stars

our

r we rid he ies of our bod

heavens

moment

exact

cause

meet-

the

pure

solitude o f

Orientations

in

Agonized

enthroned In

their

shone

trembling reflection innards

Because

ex-

r with our hausted he hopes

e brought

Because w

ea as her our Id votive

She gives birth again to feelings.

42

we

ORION

fr o we were d etache d fr o an mo aly ur w ze eig di ht A n us s He ra rc Once d ha r ea m ng y

el

ed ch u to

Sile n

ce wa s

G o ld e n

ro m ed f h c a t we were de

r ou

erm i nn

marks lo

os

t

s ing be

er riv

m em o

unbe liev ab le

an

kA

m

t ea rs

riv er b

VI

H

ry

un i an o t in

ur ed o l l o er

nh ab

it e d

d ante ere gr w e w n e h chaos W

an

ows t shad h g i e w bank of light

h muc us So t a d oke

that

sin!

43

Orientations

Orion ORION

VII

44

Anniversary . . . even the weariest river winds somewhere safe to sea!*

I brought my life this far To this spot that struggles Always near the sea Youth upon the rocks, breast To breast against the wind Where is a man to go Who is nothing but a man Calculating with dews his green Moments, with water the visions Of his hearing, with wings his remorses Ah Life Of a child who becomes a man Always near the sea when the sun Teaches him to breathe whither A seagull’s shadow is effaced.

45

Anniversary “ The epigraph is from Swinburne’s “The Garden of Proserpine:’ Perhaps Elytis’s first great poem, this is

Anniversary

an Apollonian meditation on death.

I brought my life this far White measuring ink-black sum A few trees and a few Wet pebbles Light fingers to caress a brow What brow Anticipations wept all night and are no more There is no one Would that a free footstep be heard That a rested voice arise

Orientations

That sterns splash the jetty writing A name more glaucous in their horizon A few years a few waves Sensitive rowing In the bays surrounding love.

46

Anniversary

I brought my life this far Bitter groove in the sand that will be effaced —Whoever saw two eyes touch his silence And mingled with their sunshine enclosing a thousand worlds May he remind other suns of his blood Nearer the light There is a smile that fills the flame— But here in the unknowing landscape that gets lost In a sea open and pitiless Success moults Whirlwinds of feathers And of moments that were bound to soil Hard soil beneath impatient Soles, earth made for vertigo Or a dead volcano.

47

Anniversary

Anniversary

I brought my life this far A stone dedicated to the watery element Farther than the islands Lower than the waves Neighboring the anchors — When keels pass by passionately cutting through A new obstacle and conquer it And hope with all its dolphins dawns Sun’s profit in the human heart— The nets of doubt draw in

Orientations

A form of salt Indifferent white Hewn with effort Which turns toward the sea the voids of its eyes And supports infinity.

48

49

50

51

52