Monday, June 9, 2008

The Shadows of Birds: 62

Yannis Ritsos

62.
He dug a hole in the ground
planted the three nails
it was already summer
so many student rooms
stood vacant
nights on the avenues
the trees and two green lights
played leading roles
perhaps that's why the statues
squinted their eyes
when watching
the hookers
the sunburned sailors
the three young performers
one dressed as Iphigenia
another as Electra
the third as Persephone.


Athens—June 3, 1980

from The Shadows of Birds (1980) [Collected Poems: IDelta ---pg 372-373]

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