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MICHALIS CATSAROS



Those you see

Translated by  George Economou


Those you see you’ll come across once more
you’ll get to know them once again
one of them called Bill and another Ben

Those you see you’ll come across once more
you’ll get to know them once again
into this world they will return
and with a greater pride to burn

Those you see you’ll come across once more
you’ll get to hate them once again
but one you’ll not find anymore
the youngest, most bitter, and most dear
the one and lonely, strong and free of fear

Him you’ll never see again to hurt
and his great heart to tear apart
him you’ll never find again the one who’s guarded by the stars
the one guarded by his sun,  guarded by the moon

He who has the gift, the youngest
the most bitter and most dear
for him I alone await, I alone am here


Αυτούς που βλέπεις 


Αὐτοὺς ποὺ βλέπεις πάλι θὰ τοὺς ξαναΐδεις
θὰ τοὺς γνωρίσεις πάλι
ἄλλον θὰ λένε Κωνσταντὴ κι ἄλλον Μιχάλη

Αὐτοὺς ποὺ βλέπεις πάλι θὰ τοὺς ξαναΐδεις
θὰ τοὺς γνωρίσεις πάλι
σ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν κόσμο θὰ γυρνοῦν
μὲ περηφάνια πιὸ μεγάλη

Αὐτοὺς ποὺ βλέπεις πάλι θὰ τοὺς ξαναΐδεις
θὰ τοὺς μισήσεις πάλι
ἕναν μονάχα δὲ θὰ βρεῖς
τὸν πιὸ μικρό, τὸν πιὸ πικρό, τὸν πιὸ ἀγαπημένο
τὸν μοναχό, τὸν δυνατὸ καὶ τὸν ἀντρειωμένο

Αὐτὸν δὲ θὰ τὸν ξανεΐδεις νὰ τόνε βασανίσεις
καὶ τὴν μεγάλη του καρδιὰ νὰ τηνε σκίσεις
αὐτὸν δὲ θὰ τὸν ξαναβρεῖς τί τὸν φυλᾶνε τ᾿ ἄστρα
τί τὸν φυλάει ὁ ἥλιος του, τόνε φυλάει τὸ φεγγάρι

Αὐτὸν πού ῾χει τὴ χάρη τὸν πιὸ μικρὸ
τὸν πιὸ πικρὸ καὶ τὸν ἀγαπημένο
αὐτὸν μονάχα ἐγώ, μονάχα ἐγώ, ἐγὼ προσμένω


George Economou was born on September 24, 1934, in Great Falls, Montana, to Amelia Ananiadis Economou and Demetrios George Economou, a businessman and rancher, both of whom emigrated to the United States from Greece. After primary and secondary school education in Great Falls, he attended Colgate University, where he majored in English and graduated cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1956. He earned an M.A. in English Literature at Columbia University in 1957 and a Ph.D. in English and Comparative Literature in 1967, specializing in Old and Middle English and continental literature. He taught for 41 years at the Brooklyn Center of Long Island University (1961–83) and at the University of Oklahoma (1983–2000), where he served as Chair of the Department of English (1983–1990) and Director of Creative Writing (1990–2000). He was a founding editor of "The Chelsea Review" (1957–60) and co-founding editor of "Trobar" and Trobar Books (1960–64) with Robert Kelly (poet).[1][2]

He has published many books of poetry, translations, and scholarly criticism, and his work has appeared in many literary magazines and scholarly journals. He has lectured and given poetry readings at many universities and literary venues throughout the United States and abroad.

He married poet and playwright Rochelle Owens, June 17, 1962.[3] They live in Philadelphia and Wellfleet, Massachusetts.[4]

His primary archive and papers are held at Columbia University.[5] Smaller collections are held at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Princeton University.