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Dimitris Tsaloumas is probably Australia's greatest contemporary poet. He is often described as Greek-Australian, because he writes in both languages, Greek and English.
In the year of Greece's accession to the EU (1981) I was living and working in Thessaloniki. It was also the year that Tsaloumas's "The Book of Epigrams" was published by Nea Poreia in Thessaloniki, in the original Greek.
One poem in particular stands out now as particularly prophetic, Prodigal II, although I do not know when the poem was written or to which period the poem refers.
A pity no one paid attention!
The English translation was made by Philip Grundy and appeared in The Observatory, University of Queensland Press, 1983 (enlarged edition 1991). I met Dimitri Tsaloumas in Australia and we became friends. One cannot exaggerate the importance of his work.
Another great poem is Autumn Supper.
Happy New Year!
Tsaloumas in French translation (update 2014)
Dimitris Tsaloumas died on 4th February 2016
A fond farewell for Australian Greek poet Dimitris Tsaloumas, Jason Steger, SMH
RIP Dimitris Tsaloumas: the poet, SBS - Dr Christos Fifis speaks to Themis Kallos about the contribution of Dimitris Tsaloumas to Australian and Greek literature.
Dimitris Tsaloumas and the Music of the Unseen, Vrasidas Karalis, Sydney Review of Books
Happy New Year. Wow! I am stealing this - with all credit! Σαίμον
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing poem. But the only credits due are to the poet, Dimitris Tsaloumas, his translator and publishers.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter spotted the poem while reading "The Observatory" last night.
I've quoted it with more details on Democracy Street.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely USEFUL in these days of destruction of greek people.
ReplyDeleteI tried to translate in italian to make it known in italy. I've heard Tsaloumas was educated in italian language...please, reach him, and ask if my translation is acceptable for him...
thanks
maurizio costantino
Sperpero
E' tempo per parsimonia e circospezione.
Ve lo dissi gia' tempo fa. Stiamo attraversando
tempi disumani.Persino le banche ne sentono il pizzicore
e gia' i mercanti soffiano via la polvere
dai vecchi registri per debiti da lungo tempo non riscossi.
Ora non e' tempo di prestiti e debiti
Organizzatevi al meglio che potete. Ai margini
dell'insonnia ed ai confini col sonno
si annidano forme incerte ed ombre, e se tu tendi
le tue orecchie ed origli
ai cigolii della porta nella notte, sentirai mortali
sussurri. Ricordate le mie parole.
Prendete i vostri figli ed andate alle campagne.
Gli anni di sperpero sono finiti.
I don't have an email address for him, but I found this information online. Perhaps you could write to him at the address given below:
ReplyDeleteTSALOUMAS, Dimitris
Nationality: Greek. Born: Leros, Greece, 1921. Education: University of Melbourne, B.A., Dip.Ed.
Address: 72 Glenhuntly Road, Elwood, Victoria 3184, Australia.