The Shadows of Birds: 8-15

Yannis Ritsos

8.
I saw the shadow of the bird
I didn't see the bird
because it was within me—
c o m r —it said
c o m r a d e —I finished
it spoke to me
you and I
are alike.


9.
You asked the water
you asked the tortoise
you knew
they wouldn't answer
your question that
they were the answer.


10.
A bucket of dirty water
the mirror in the elevator
an umbrella
drops of blood on the marble—
so many gutted fish
the words they didn't speak.


11.
The women weren't around
I cut a rose
and put it on my jacket
later in the evening
the women came back
I said your name inside me
I have the rose.


12.
I wanted to say to you
I forgot
always I forget
that which I want
however the mirror
in the barber shop across the way
is blue
and the bicycler
jumped on his bicycle
and rode away with
this blue.


13.
Darkness
a rembetika song
the soldier
lights his cigarette
the woman
came back without a sound
things you can count on
even if you changed them around
they wouldn't change.


14.
Surely they left the trowel
on the top step
on purpose
I didn't step on it
I opened the door
I opened the window
with the circus was across the way
the lion might hear me
if I whistled
therefore I'll be handsome
with a black watch
on my left wrist.


15.
In his pocket
a tiny river
five green leaves
and the stolen lipstick
with which a girl
first colored
his lips.

Athens—May 7, 1980

from The Shadows of Birds (1980) [Collected Poems: IDelta ---pg 345-349]