The Shadows of Birds: 59

Yannis Ritsos

59.
Beneath the trees
an evening of secretive birds
and their tiny whispers
a bed sheet
stretched out on the street
very white
still the boy from the restaurant
placed a glass of carnations
on the table
and another
climbed from the lake
sat at the empty seat
and ate
with the usual quiet motions
as you add up the dead
and forget.

Agrinion—June 1, 1980

from The Shadows of Birds (1980) [Collected Poems: IDelta ---pg 370-371]