Periplus | Haris Kalligas, 1979

Monemvasia, Lakonia, Greece

II. Goulas *

The birds’ wings
waves
that beat on our ears
on the rock

III. Field Work

Myths
grow from the earth
bedrizzled
with the wildflowers
sea smell of the air.
Ghosts appear at noon
light turning into
dense lowering cloud
weight on the earth insupportable.
Along with fragrances,
the stones beginning to sprout
pour out of the houses
their potent and restless shadows
that move the stillness slowly.

The birds
come back in the evening.

[…]

Periplus, Minoa Akra *, Haris Kalligas, 1979
tr. Alan L. Boegehold

* Monemvasia, Lakonia, Greece in ancient times it was called “Minoa Akra” / “Άκρα Μίνωα”
as described in Pausanias (c. AD 110 – c. 180) Description of Greece.