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After Cavafy

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Even if your life

is not the one you’d choose

try at least

as best you can

not to demean it

by courting the world

too frantically

with self-serving

moves and chat;

and try not

to cheapen it

by dragging it

here and there

and keeping nothing back

in the daily

exchange

of news and views

with those you think

have made it

until it seems

no more

than a tiresome stranger.

 

 

◄ Bruegel

Staring at a Hoopoe ►

Comments

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kJ Walker

Thu 31st Oct 2019 20:31

I've just been reading some new translations of Cavafy by Ian Parks. And would strongly recommend them.

Philipos

Wed 30th Oct 2019 21:36

Interesting read this one David. I'd never even heard of Cavafy until your poem popped up on my screen and I then I back read a potted version of his work. He certainly seems to have gotten his message across in a yester world - but then drops into reclusiveness again. At least there are still people around who find his work a draw. How often is he mentioned in our nowadays world, would you think?

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