January 3rd, 2006
The Photograph
In this obscene photograph sold in the street
secretly (have to watch out for the police),
in this whorish photograph,
how could there be such a dream-like face?
How did you get in here?
Who knows what a degrading, vulgar life you lead;
how horrible the surroundings must have been
when you posed to have this picture taken;
what a cheap soul you must have.
But in spite of all this, and even more, you remain for me
the dream-like face, the figure
shaped for and dedicated to the Hellenic kind of pleasure-
that’s how you remain for me
and how my poetry speaks about you.
-Constantine P. Cavafy
Tags: Poetry, The Photograph, Constantine P. Cavafy
siddharth says:
This poem is amazing. brought attention to something which i might not have noticed otherwise.. highly sensitive and appreciable..
January 3rd, 2006 at 06:44 pm
K. says:
January 4th, 2006 at 03:47 am