Odysseas Elytis was born in Crete in 1911. His nom de plume fuses three important Greek concepts, always present in his poetry: elefthería (freedom), elpitha (hope), and Eléni (Helen of Troy). His first book was published at the outset of World War II, followed by publications spanning more than half a century. The author of some of the most innovative and influential original poetry of this century, Elytis was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1979. He died in Greece in 1996.

From “The Monogram”

by Odysseas Elytis

I’ll mourn always—you hear me?—for you,
alone, in Paradise.

III

This is how I speak for you and me

Because I love you and in love know
Like a Full Moon to enter
From everywhere, for your small foot in the vast sheets
I unpetal jasmines—and I have the strength
Asleep, to blow and take you
Through luminous passages and the sea’s secret arcades
Hypnotized trees silver with spiders
People on couch
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