Arrangement of Hatzithakis’

“O Kyr Antonis”.

Διασκευή «Ο κυρ Αντώνης» του Χατζιδάκι.

by Odysseus,

remembering my father,

inspired by Manos Hatzithakis

Τα μόρια της αρνητικότητας
απορροφώνται από έμπνευση

Το φενάκη  
που μας περικυκλώνει 
διαλύεται 
στον Ήλιο της θετικότητας

Η αύρα απλώνεται
γεμίζοντας το σύμπαν

Το χαμόγελο λάμπει


Molecules of negativity
absorbed by inspiration 

Overbearing Phenax* succumbs 
to Helios of positivity

The aura spreads,
filling the universe


The smiles shine brightly


by Odysseus 
17 June 2025


* From Φενάκη/phenaki (ancient Greek for “wig“.. Phenax, god of deception)

Language, theater, poetry, curiosity,
roots of nourishment,
washed away by intellectual erosion;
 

Ethnic (non)identity,
 reflected at church festival

Odysseus

13 X 2024

POSEIDONIANS
by Constantine P Cavafy


The Poseidonians forgot the Greek language
after so many centuries of mingling
with Tyrrhenians, Latins, and other foreigners.
The only thing surviving from their ancestors
was a Greek festival, with beautiful rites,
with lyres and flutes, contests and wreaths.
And it was their habit toward the festival's end
to tell each other about their ancient customs
and once again to speak Greek names
that only few of them still recognized.
And so their festival always had a melancholy ending
because they remembered that they too were Greeks,
they too once upon a time were citizens of Magna Graecia;
and how low they'd fallen now, what they'd become,
living and speaking like barbarians,
cut off so disastrously from the Greek way of life.

“Gyro, Mousaka, Ouzo, OPA!”

Στην αγριάδα ομορφιά, 
άνθη στο σάβανο φύσης 
η Αφροδίτη αγκαλιάζει τη Γη

Η Δημητρα
καλωσορίζει την Περσεφόνη 
η άνοιξη χαμογελά

Μάιος 2019, Ραφήνα

Beauty in the wild,
flowers, tapestry of nature 
Aphrodite embraces the Earth

Demeter
welcomes Persephone 
Spring smiles

The warmth of spirit,
delightful sounds
Ecstasy abounding
trees blossoming
rebirth, hope, opening
Anoixi, opening, Spring
Prima vera, first truth, Spring
Memories of past
pleasant faces
Family gatherings, children’s laughter
dinner with music;
harmony of elements
A dance of spirit
the dance of life
Our nectar, ambrosia,
affirmation with destiny
dreams you can touch
A fine vintage
smooth as seashore contours;
waves breaking the silence,
relaxing us more
We drink, soak it in;
reflecting, feeling
the renaissance

OM