Giorgio de Chirico in Volos
Poetry by Nicos Alexiou
The Silver Sphinx · English text
He roamed the town deep in thought,
through the closed-off ancient roads,
a stranger after so long,
replete with exiles,
foreign lands and glory.
He asked about his home,
desperately sought the key
at the bottom of the broken flowerpot.
After all, his friends, too,
have all but vanished.
He slowly entered the coffeehouse
ordered absinthe and bitter coffee,
dipped his secret brushes
into the dark hues
ablaze in his head.
And round about dusk
on the desolate evening tracks
of lost departing trains,
he was gently nudged by the thrill
of an unexpected love.
