Thursday, November 8, 2012

Nikiforοs Vrettakos - Νικηφόρος Βρεττάκος: "MAGNIFICAT" - "ΜΕΓΑΛΥΝΑΡΙ"

Nikiforos Vrettakos was widely regarded as "The Patron Saint "of Greek poetry ". The poet of PEACE and LOVE.
His poem here is panegyric to a peaceful world conveyed through various idyllic images. I find it all the more moving when the poet himself is the reciter


Magnificat

Your name:
Bread on the table.
Water in the fountain.
Honeysuckle of stars as they rise.
Window open by night on 1st May.
Flickers of sunlight.
The strain of the flute at night.
A rose on the lips of angels.
Horse bells beckoning in Springtime.
Raindrops on the farmers brow.
Food scraps at the shepherds hut.
A landscape of many colours.
Two oak trees framed by a rainbow.
A whispering from star to star.
The chattering between two streams.
The monologue of a pine tree at Sounion.
A deer knee-deep in a wave of sunshine.
A rose petal on a babys cheek.
A staff of music on the feelers of crickets.
The charioteer in the suns chariot.
The course of five swans pulling Pleiades through the sky.
Peace in the tree tops.
Peace in the city streets.
Peace along the shipping routes.
A leftover crust at the edge of the world.
A pediment of doves on the horizon.
A hallelujah at the summit of Everest.

Translated by: Zeena61