Constantine Cavafy's Ars Poetica was first discovered and "deciphered" by Michael Perides and appeared in K. P. Kavafes: Anekdota peza keimena (C.P. Cavafy: Unpublished Prose Pieces), published by G. Fexis in Athens in 1963, on the hundredth anniversary of the poet's birth.I first became aware of this "poetics" of Cavafy through a subscription to the remarkable magazine known as The Charioteer: A Review of Modern Greek Culture, which began publishing in the early 60s and which, I think, continued up into the late 80s--an unassuming, beautiful little magazine of seminal importance to those readers who wanted to learn more about Modern Greek culture than what was then available to them--zilch.
From the Introduction to The "Poetics" of Cavafy, by A. Decavalles: "Mr. Perides was going through the poet's archives and came upon fifteen manuscript pages of varying length and age, written partly in ink, partly in pencil, with corrections, emendations, additions and deletions. All indicated that the text was meant for publication if the poet ever went back to give it its final form. He never did. . . The text was in English, a language which the poet was familiar enough from the days of his childhood so as to speak it fluently at home, with his brothers and friends, and even to use it extensively in his essays, notes, private diary and much of his correspondence. He, however, never wrote his verse in it. . . .It was Mr. Perides who gave the untitled text its quite justified title. The few pages we are in possession of give us a most revealing insight into the theoretical background, the poetics that stood behind and shaped Cavafy's poetry as we know it, its relationship to life and experience, its artistic and philosophical objectives. We regret only the fact that this essay was unfinished."
We do indeed!
Here is the link for those curious enough to read what Cavafy had to say about the Art of Poetry.
Thanks for this one, Vassilis! I've always admired Cavafy and am ever eager to read more of him....
ReplyDeleteWonderful to read Cavafy's comments! Thanks very much.
ReplyDeleteI think that you would agree with some of what Cavafy writes. For example, Cavafy's passage below seems to express opinions similar to your own:
"I have said above that the poet always remains an artist. As an artist he should avoid – without denying – the seemingly highest – seemingly, for it is quite proved that it is the highest – philosophy of the absolute worthlessness of effort and of the inherent contradiction in every human utterance. If he deny it: he must work. If he accept it: he must work still, though with the consciousness of his work being but finally toys, – at best toys capable of being utilised for some worthier or better purpose, or the very handling of which prepares for some worthier or better work."
Cavafy's passage above could be placed next to your poem, "The Origin of Species," posted on your blog on January 28, 2009, and readers would find affinities.
Changing the subject, are there some contemporary Greek poets whose work has been translated into English that you would recommend?
Joe,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you know Seferis thought the world of Cavafy!
And John, here is a link (a bit out-of-date, I'm afraid) where you can find some poems of contemporary Greek poets translated into English. Unfortunately, I have not been doing my homework as far as more contemporary Greek poets are concerned!