Ulysses

Ulysses

(Happy Birthday, James Joyce!)

 Dear reader,

      I am quoting some random, but in my humble opinion, rather poetic expressions from ‘Ulysses’ that form, when put together, a very nice poem. James Joyce was undoubtedly a very good poet! In this poem, however, the originality lies more in the obviousness of the hidden poetic language that Joyce used in his novel. – No copyright infringement intended – Enjoy and I hope you like it! –

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2015 at 15:10, 02.02.2015.

A

 I

“ Widower of a widowed see…

Gaze in your omphalos.

Womb of sin.

In a Greek watercloset he breathed

his last: euthanasia.”

II

 “Veil orangeblossoms.

Wind of wild air of seeds

of brightness.

Blue dusk, nightfall,

deep blue night.

In the darkness of the dome

they wait…”

III

 “I see you. Lump of love.

Their blood is in me,

their lusts my waves.

Green eyes, I see you.

The sun is there, the slender trees,

the lemon houses.

Lascivious people.

Curled conquistadores.”

 

IV

“Behold the handmaid
of the moon.
He comes, pale vampire,
through storm his eyes,

his bat sails bloodying
the sea, mouth to her
mouth’s kiss. Mouth to
her kiss.

Mouth to her womb.
Darkness shining in
the brightness, delta
of Cassiopeia, worlds.”

 

B

I

“ Poetical idea pink,

then golden, then grey,

then black. Metempsychosis?

 

A flower. I think it’s a. A yellow

flower with flattened petals.

Language of flowers. The cold

 

smell of sacred stone called him.”

 

II

“She trusts me, her hand gentle,

the longlashed eyes.

She,she,she. What she?

 

Touch me. Soft eyes.

I am lonely here.

I am quiet here alone.

Sad too. Touch, touch me.”

 

III

“Who watches me here?

Who ever anywhere will

read these written words?

You find my words dark.

Darkness in is our souls,

Do you not think?”

C

I

“Quest for the philosopher’s
stone. The alchemists.
That orangeflower.

Dwarf’s body, weak as putty…
Mistake of nature. A raindrop
spat on his hat. Heavenly

weather really. Wear the heart
out of stone, that. Temporary
insanity, of course,…”

II

“The room in the hotel with

hunting pictures.  Sunlight

through the slats of the Venetian

blinds.

Verdict: overdose.

Death by misadventure.

No more pain.

Nobody owns.”

III.

“Fragments of shapes…,
white, sorrowful…
After life’s journey.
It would be better to bury them
in red: a dark red.
In white silence: appealing.
Their eyes watched him.
Left him weeping I suppose.“

 

IV

“Dark poplars, rare forms.

Pomp of death. Murder.

They love reading about it.

Coffin now. Funerals all over the world

everywhere every minute.

So much dead weight.”

Reference

Joyce, J. (2000) Ulysses. London: Penguin Classics.

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2015

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Ομίχλη

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli © 2023 at 12:15, 08.01.2023, Florina, Greece"

ΟΜΙΧΛΗ 


Λυπημένα σύννεφα
τυλιγμένα σε μια 

βαμβακερή ομίχλη,
εκεί όπου τα πολύχρωμα

πουλιά  έπαψαν το τραγούδι τους, 
διότι η ηλιόλουστη μέρα 

άφησε την τελευταία της πνοή. 


“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli © 2023 at 12:15, 08.01.2023, Florina, Greece"

Χειμωνιάτικη νύχτα

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli © 2023 at 12:15, 08.01.2023, Florina, Greece"




Η νύχτα σύρθηκε  βαθιά 
στο χιονισμένο δάσος.

Τρομακτικές σκιές κυνήγησαν
το λιγοστό φως που της είχε απομείνει

μέχρι την άκρη του παγωμένου ποταμού.

Εκεί κοντά, ένα κοράκι κρύφτηκε
πίσω από τα κουκουνάρια ενός θεόρατου
πεύκου, 

φοβισμένο από το ωχρό χρώμα των αστεριών 
και τα τρομακτικά ουρλιαχτά των λύκων!


“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli © 2023 at 12:15, 08.01.2023, Florina, Greece"

Elizabeth

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2022 at 12:45, 10.09.2022.

Strange old tales, and secrets
that cannot be said in mere words.

The golden memory of Elizabeth, so matriarchal like,

was lit by the glowing stars,
 as the night was folding its

black veil above her sombre throne.

Her phantom like palace
looked so dark beneath the

silent stars as the dying day
breathed out her last.

That day the birds
had ceased their song 

and HER corgis
have stopped being loved. 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2022 at 12:45, 10.09.2022.

Καλοκαίρι

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2022 at 08:45, 02.07.2022.

 

Τα κύματα εγίνανε ριχτάρι

στο κορμί σου,

ενώ εγώ γευόμουν

την αλμύρα της θάλασσας

στο γλυκό φιλί σου.

Φύκια μπλεγμένα στα μαλλιά σου

μα μοσχοβόλαγε ο ήλιος και ο

ουρανός απ’ το περπάτημα σου.

Η καυτή άμμος εφύλαξε

το αποτυπωμά σου,

ενώ ένας τζίτζικας τραγούδαγε

ρυθμικά σχεδόν το όνομα σου.

 

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli.” © 2022 at 08:45, 02.07.2022.

ΡΟΔΆΝΘΗ

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2022 at 17:30, 06.05.2022 – Flórina, Greece.

Μια γλυκιά ευωδιά

αναδύεται από το κορμί

της νεκρής νύμφης του δάσους.

 

Τα σύννεφα παραμέρισαν

και οι ακτίνες του Ήλιου

αγκάλιασαν το άψυχο κορμί

της κόρης.

 

Άνθισε τότε η τριανταφυλλιά

από το αίμα που έτρεξε

από την πληγωμένη Θεά

 

και τα άσπρα άνθη του λουλουδιού

γίνανε κατακόκκινα!

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2022 at 17:00, 06.05.2022 – Flórina, Greece.

Ίριδα

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2022 at 21:04, 10.04.2022 – Flórina, Greece.

 

Ίριδα

 

 

Μια μικρή πυγολαμπίδα έλαμψε

στιγμιαία στο απόλυτο σκοτάδι.

 

Μια φιγούρα φαινομενικά μητρική

αλλά κατά βάθος σκοτεινή,

 

πλησίασε απειλητικά το γλυκό μωράκι,

που ανυποψίαστο κοιμότανε γαλήνια

στο παιδικό της κρεβατάκι.

 

Ονειρευόταν το μωράκι

ότι η μαμά του, του έδινε ένα γλυκό

φιλάκι, όταν ξαφνικά ένιωσε

 

ένα πανάκι στο μικρό του στοματάκι.

 

Του κόπηκε η ανάσα και ένα δάκρυ

κύλησε στο ροδοκόκκινο του μαγουλάκι.

 

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2022 at 21:04, 10.04.2022 – Flórina, Greece.

Pandemonium

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 15:19, 04.03.2022 – Flórina, Greece.

 

Lemurs’ conspiracy

caused a pandemonium

amongst parrots.

 

 

What an embarrassment

for pandas that was.

 

 

A shiver among sharks

and a group of frogs

gathered their own army.

 

 

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 15:19, 04.03.2022 – Flórina, Greece.”

Βροχή διαττόντων

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 11:00, 22.12.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”

Στα στολιδάκια της γειτονιάς που δεν υπάρχουν πια…

 

Μια χειμωνιάτικη λοιπόν νύχτα

του έτους αυτού του θλιβερού

και όταν ο ήλιος μεσουράνησε,

 

η βροχή διαττόντων αστέρων

του γένους των Αρκτίδων

έπεσε πάνω στα θαμμένα κορμάκια τους.

 

Και όταν ο ήλιος έφτασε στο χαμηλότερο

σημείο του η νύχτα μεγάλωσε τόσο πολύ

που φάνηκε άπειρη στα μάτια μου.

 

Δεν υπάρχετε πια…

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 11:00, 22.12.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”

 

Χιόνι

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 20:08, 12.12.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”

Χιόνι μου μαγευτικό,

σαν το σκιουράκι τις κάτασπρες νιφάδες

σου θωρώ,

 

που στολίζουν εκεί δα, το ελατάκι,

 το μικρό, τούτο το παγωμένο πρωινό.

 

Χιόνι μου παιχνιδιάρικο,

σαν πολικό αρκουδάκι

μέσα σου θέλω να χωθώ!

 

Χιόνι μου αρχοντικό,

σαν ελαφάκι θέλω να τρέξω,

να κρυφτώ.

 

Χιόνι μου μοναχικό,

ως μια πολική αλεπουδίτσα,

θέλω φιλαράκι, ένα άσπρο λαγουδάκι,

 

 για να παίξω χιονοπόλεμο

αυτό το δειλινό!

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 20:08, 12.12.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”

Λεονάρδος

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 12:18, 30.10.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”

 

 

Νεράιδες βυθιστήκαν

στα γαλανά του μάτια

 

και μάγισσες ξόρκι

αγάπης ρίξανε,

 

να κλέψουνε θελήσανε

την ζηλευτή καρδιά του.

 

Τα αστέρια εφωτίσανε την

θεϊκή ομορφιά του,

 

ενώ άγγελοι αγκάλιασαν

την άμοιρη του μάνα.

 

Αχ και να ‘ξερες πόσο έλειψες

της έρμης τούτης μάνας.

 

“This work (in full or in part) may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author, Katerina Michouli ©2021 at 12:18, 30.10.2021 – Flórina, Greece.”