George Psaltis was born in Athens in 1969. His poetry collection, Epistrofi stin Eniaia Hora (Athens, Ikaros Publishing, 2008) was short-listed for the Diavazo First Book Award. George Psaltis translates from Greek to English and vice versa.
(from “Pilgrim”, part IV)
A raw, grey sky seeking to turn blue
a hue of reddish yellow which Turner might have left behind
and inert clouds— roofs on our dreams;
and then a village— forty houses—
hazy and compelling
tucked away in a faraway cape;
a shock this dark stranger at such hour
asking a local about eternal return;
how could the fellow ever come up with a reply;
his mind is on a neighbor who strolls the alleys
gazing at the tall houses with the small windows
and always weeps three times with all his might
“ reveal yourself eternal Beatrice”;
ever so quietly, birds greeted and started the day.
George Psaltis
© Translated by Fani Papageorgiou
The poem Amalfi Dawn is from
Epistrofi stin Eniaia Hora, Ikaros Publishing, 2008
Published with the permission of George C. Psaltis