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Late into the Night: The Last Poems of Yannis Ritsos
The last poems of this 20th-century Greek master are tinged with sadness and loss, but they also, in their candidly poetic reporting of the life and world around him, hum with vitality and an odd note of hope. Ritsos felt defeated in his own health and politics, but as a poet he experienced a surge of creativity that is fascinating to follow in its chronology and exactitude.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Yiannis Ritsos
285 books300 followersYiannis Ritsos (Greek: Γιάννης Ρίτσος) is considered to be one of the five great Greek poets of the twentieth century, together with Konstantinos Kavafis, Kostas Kariotakis, Giorgos Seferis, and Odysseus Elytis. The French poet Louis Aragon once said that Ritsos was "the greatest poet of our age."
Yannis Ritsos was born in Monemvassia (Greece), on May 1st, 1909 as cadet of a noble family of landowners. Born to a well-to-do landowning family in Monemvasia, Ritsos suffered great losses as a child. The early deaths of his mother and his eldest brother from tuberculosis, the commitment of his father who suffered with mental disease and the economic ruin of losing his family marked Ritsos and affected his poetry. Ritsos, himself, was confined in a sanatorium for tuberculosis from 1927–1931.
These tragic events mark him and obsess his œuvre. In 1931, Ritsos joined the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). During the Axis occupation of Greece (1941–1945) he became a member of the EAM (National Liberation Front), and authored several poems for the Greek Resistance. These include a booklet of poems dedicated to the resistance leader Ares Velouchiotis, written immediately upon the latter's death on 16 June 1945. Ritsos also supported the left in the subsequent Civil War (1946-1949); in 1948 he was arrested and spent four years in prison camps.
Yannis Ritsos was born in Monemvassia (Greece), on May 1st, 1909 as cadet of a noble family of landowners. Born to a well-to-do landowning family in Monemvasia, Ritsos suffered great losses as a child. The early deaths of his mother and his eldest brother from tuberculosis, the commitment of his father who suffered with mental disease and the economic ruin of losing his family marked Ritsos and affected his poetry. Ritsos, himself, was confined in a sanatorium for tuberculosis from 1927–1931.
These tragic events mark him and obsess his œuvre. In 1931, Ritsos joined the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). During the Axis occupation of Greece (1941–1945) he became a member of the EAM (National Liberation Front), and authored several poems for the Greek Resistance. These include a booklet of poems dedicated to the resistance leader Ares Velouchiotis, written immediately upon the latter's death on 16 June 1945. Ritsos also supported the left in the subsequent Civil War (1946-1949); in 1948 he was arrested and spent four years in prison camps.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 14, 2019
"Νὰ μὲ θυμόσαστε - εἶπε. Χιλιάδες χιλιόμετρα περπάτησα
χωρὶς ψωμί, χωρίς νερό, πάνω σὲ πέτρες κι ἀγκάθια,
γιὰ νὰ σᾶς φέρω ψωμὶ καὶ νερὸ καὶ τριαντάφυλλα."
Η τελευταία ποιητική συλλογή του Ρίτσου και έργο μεγάλης ωριμότητας. Παρ' όλα αυτά δεν μπορώ να το βάλω στην ίδια θέση με άλλα έργα του.
Όπως έχω ξαναγράψει, είμαστε πολύ ταπεινοί για να κρίνουμε τέτοια έργα, με την ποίηση όμως κατά την άποψή μου αυτό που μετράει είναι το πόσο το κάθε ποίημα και η κάθε συλλογή μιλάει μέσα στην ψυχή μας. Και εδώ αυτό που απόμεινε στο τέλος δεν ήταν το ίδιο σε σχέση με άλλες συλλογές.
Σε κάθε περίπτωση πάντως, δεν αποτρέπω κανέναν που του αρέσει η ποίηση να το διαβάσει. Είναι σίγουρο ότι θα διαβάσει - για μια ακόμη φορά - έναν τεράστιο ποιητή.
χωρὶς ψωμί, χωρίς νερό, πάνω σὲ πέτρες κι ἀγκάθια,
γιὰ νὰ σᾶς φέρω ψωμὶ καὶ νερὸ καὶ τριαντάφυλλα."
Η τελευταία ποιητική συλλογή του Ρίτσου και έργο μεγάλης ωριμότητας. Παρ' όλα αυτά δεν μπορώ να το βάλω στην ίδια θέση με άλλα έργα του.
Όπως έχω ξαναγράψει, είμαστε πολύ ταπεινοί για να κρίνουμε τέτοια έργα, με την ποίηση όμως κατά την άποψή μου αυτό που μετράει είναι το πόσο το κάθε ποίημα και η κάθε συλλογή μιλάει μέσα στην ψυχή μας. Και εδώ αυτό που απόμεινε στο τέλος δεν ήταν το ίδιο σε σχέση με άλλες συλλογές.
Σε κάθε περίπτωση πάντως, δεν αποτρέπω κανέναν που του αρέσει η ποίηση να το διαβάσει. Είναι σίγουρο ότι θα διαβάσει - για μια ακόμη φορά - έναν τεράστιο ποιητή.
July 3, 2022
Cover image, a painting by the poet, contemporary to the poetry.
Two poems side by side close to middle of the book define this collection. The metaphors and images of age and loss and the animation of the special landscape surrounding the poet.
The Statues and Us
The statues are so calm. The ravages of time
don't concern them. There go their hands,
their feet, their head - but they
persevere in their original uprightness.
Even flat on their backs they smile,
or face down in the mud they turn
their backs on us, and on Time as if
surrendering themselves to some infinite
act of love-making, while we look on,
unaccountably tired and depressed. Later,
we go back to our shabby hotel, draw
the blinds against the afternoon glare,
and sprawl naked on the lumpy bed, emulating
the placid immobility of the statues.
Depletion
The horses with their handsome riders are gone.
The houses in the village are empty. A few old men
sit on the low wall and watch the sunset.
What's there to say? The wine-jars and the moon
have been empty for years. The old men have forgotten
their olive trees, their vines, their grandchildren.
But something at daybreak, in their sleep, they hear
the stars scratching on the wall with their nails,
searching for a treasure that's never been found.
When the old men wake up, they're more tired than ever.
They grasp their canes as if for support, or as if
to strike at some ancient enemy they can't see.
___
Ritsos was very old when he wrote these works. He died a few years later. They stare into the abyss, accept the limits of life, the little part we all play in it. They are not scared: stare back at the abyss, and accept the life lived.
The publisher is a little college in Ohio called Oberlin. Hard to find outside of USA, unless you pay extortionist postage.
Two poems side by side close to middle of the book define this collection. The metaphors and images of age and loss and the animation of the special landscape surrounding the poet.
The Statues and Us
The statues are so calm. The ravages of time
don't concern them. There go their hands,
their feet, their head - but they
persevere in their original uprightness.
Even flat on their backs they smile,
or face down in the mud they turn
their backs on us, and on Time as if
surrendering themselves to some infinite
act of love-making, while we look on,
unaccountably tired and depressed. Later,
we go back to our shabby hotel, draw
the blinds against the afternoon glare,
and sprawl naked on the lumpy bed, emulating
the placid immobility of the statues.
Depletion
The horses with their handsome riders are gone.
The houses in the village are empty. A few old men
sit on the low wall and watch the sunset.
What's there to say? The wine-jars and the moon
have been empty for years. The old men have forgotten
their olive trees, their vines, their grandchildren.
But something at daybreak, in their sleep, they hear
the stars scratching on the wall with their nails,
searching for a treasure that's never been found.
When the old men wake up, they're more tired than ever.
They grasp their canes as if for support, or as if
to strike at some ancient enemy they can't see.
___
Ritsos was very old when he wrote these works. He died a few years later. They stare into the abyss, accept the limits of life, the little part we all play in it. They are not scared: stare back at the abyss, and accept the life lived.
The publisher is a little college in Ohio called Oberlin. Hard to find outside of USA, unless you pay extortionist postage.
January 5, 2017
Αδίκως
Κουρασμένα πρόσωπα, κουρασμένα χέρια.
Η κουρασμένη μνήμη. Κι αυτή
η ερημική βαρηκοΐα. Βράδιασε.
Τα παιδιά μεγάλωσαν. Έφυγαν.
Απάντηση πια δεν περιμένεις. Κι άλλωστε
δεν έχεις να ρωτήσεις τίποτε. Αδίκως
τόσα και τόσα χρόνια παιδευόσουν να κολλήσεις
σ' αυτή τη χαρτονένια προσωπίδα
ένα επιδοκιμαστικό χαμόγελο. Κλείσε τα μάτια.
Αθήνα, 16.Ι.88
Πρόκειται για την τελευταία/μεταθανάτια συλλογή ποιημάτων του Γιάννη Ρίτσου, όπου η διαλεκτική του χωροχρόνου και η ρητορική του πόνου και της ήττας κυριαρχεί και καταδυναστεύει.
Σύμφωνα με τον Τζιόβα,
[...]το παρελθόν για τον Ρίτσο δεν αποτελεί καταφύγιο,κι αυτή η κρίση πράγματι διαπερνά κάθε συλλογή του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου, η καθημερινή μνήμη συνεπάγεται φθορά, μεταφυσική αγωνία, τα ποιήματα κινούνται σε περιοχές κατεξοχήν ανασφάλειας. Τα λαϊκά ξενοδοχεία εναλλάσσονται με τα λαϊκά καφενεία, φράσεις, μοτίβα, λέξεις ανακυκλώνονται κι επαναδιατυπώνονται, η νατουραλιστική γλώσσα αναπαριστά την παραμικρή λεπτομέρεια αναδημιουργώντας την ατμόσφαιρα του χώρου (αφήνει στο τραπέζι τη λευκή της τσάντα, / τα λευκά της γάντια, τα πέντε της βραχιόλια / και πλαγιάζει στο πλάι σου. Εσύ κάνεις πως κοι- / μάσαι, / μα ίσως και να κοιμάσαι αλήθεια, - ποιος ξέρει;), ενώ μυθολογικά σήματα εισβάλλουν στην αφήγηση πλέκοντας μια σχέση παραλληλίας ανάμεσα στην αρχαιότητα και τη σύγχρονη εμπειρία (Μόνο εκείνοι / που χρόνια περιπλανήθηκαν, που πέρασαν πολλές / Συμπληγάδες, / έχοντας πάντα κρεμασμένο στο λαιμό τους / το χωματένιο φυλαχτό της πατρίδας).
H διαβρωτική ανάσα του άδειου, η ποίηση-λυτρωτής, η εστίαση του βλέμματος στην καθημερινή μικροαστική μιζέρια είναι θέματα που, κατά τη γνώμη μου, αριστοτεχνικά αποτυπώνονται και τοποθετούν τη συλλογή μεταξύ των καλύτερων του ποιητή, με τη σκληρή πραγματικότητα να διαθλάται με την ποιητική μάσκα.
December 27, 2025
How quiet it is
in the chambers of memory!
*
We had lost
our trust in events, in dreams.
*
You don’t expect an answer. But then,
what was your question? All for naught,
those years you tortured yourself
trying to plaster a smile of approval
on your cardboard mask.
*
This year, the sunflowers
don’t turn toward the sun.
They bow their heads,
staring at the dry ground.
in the chambers of memory!
*
We had lost
our trust in events, in dreams.
*
You don’t expect an answer. But then,
what was your question? All for naught,
those years you tortured yourself
trying to plaster a smile of approval
on your cardboard mask.
*
This year, the sunflowers
don’t turn toward the sun.
They bow their heads,
staring at the dry ground.
April 8, 2020
"Νύχτωσε":
Κι η αποψινή γιορτή αναβλήθηκε.
Κι ούτε πού ξέραμε καθόλου
τι θα πενθούσαν, τι θα γιόρταζαν.
Μεμιάς ανάψανε τα φώτα κι έσβησαν.
Απ' το παράθυρο είδαμε τούς μουσικούς
πέρασαν άφωνοι τη λεωφόρο
έχοντας στους ώμους τους
τεράστια χάλκινα όργανα.
Μείνε, λοιπόν, εδώ,
κάπνισε το τσιγάρο σου
μέσα σ' αυτή τη μεγάλη ησυχία,
μέσα σ' αυτό το θαύμα-τίποτα.
Κωφάλαλα τ' αγάλματα.
Κωφάλαλα και τα ποιήματα.
Νύχτωσε.
Κι η αποψινή γιορτή αναβλήθηκε.
Κι ούτε πού ξέραμε καθόλου
τι θα πενθούσαν, τι θα γιόρταζαν.
Μεμιάς ανάψανε τα φώτα κι έσβησαν.
Απ' το παράθυρο είδαμε τούς μουσικούς
πέρασαν άφωνοι τη λεωφόρο
έχοντας στους ώμους τους
τεράστια χάλκινα όργανα.
Μείνε, λοιπόν, εδώ,
κάπνισε το τσιγάρο σου
μέσα σ' αυτή τη μεγάλη ησυχία,
μέσα σ' αυτό το θαύμα-τίποτα.
Κωφάλαλα τ' αγάλματα.
Κωφάλαλα και τα ποιήματα.
Νύχτωσε.
April 11, 2024
Ho preferito Quarta dimensione, ma la capacità di Ritsos di descrivere il dettaglio è straordinaria. Molto spesso mi sono meravigliato della semplicità di questi versi che rimangono comunque molto profondi
November 8, 2014
This is a really interesting book, with lots of dense imagery and allusion. Without the introduction, I probably would have missed all the specific allusions to the Communist party and the author's disappointment with it's fall, but the poems work just as well without that specific knowledge.
May 31, 2008
The final poems of Ritsos continue to prove that he was a poet who remained at the height of his powers through his long life.
February 20, 2024
Voto: 3.5
Raccolta pubblicata postuma che racchiude le poesie con cui Ritsos si congeda dal mondo poetico e umano. I temi prevalenti sono quelli della morte, della perdita e della disillusione, di una profonda amarezza nei confronti di un mondo che più giusto non è divenuto.
Ho apprezzato particolarmente alcuni dei componimenti presenti e dei simboli impiegati. Segnalo, in particolare, il componimento 14 della raccolta "Secondi".
Altre poesie le ho trovate eccessivamente trasparenti, che so essere una caratteristica di Ritsos, finalizzata all'immediatezza del raggiungimento del messaggio, ma ciò non incontra sempre il mio gusto personale.
Raccolta pubblicata postuma che racchiude le poesie con cui Ritsos si congeda dal mondo poetico e umano. I temi prevalenti sono quelli della morte, della perdita e della disillusione, di una profonda amarezza nei confronti di un mondo che più giusto non è divenuto.
Ho apprezzato particolarmente alcuni dei componimenti presenti e dei simboli impiegati. Segnalo, in particolare, il componimento 14 della raccolta "Secondi".
Altre poesie le ho trovate eccessivamente trasparenti, che so essere una caratteristica di Ritsos, finalizzata all'immediatezza del raggiungimento del messaggio, ma ciò non incontra sempre il mio gusto personale.
November 12, 2024
Ritsos....that's all.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews