Pirene’s Fountain interviews Dimitris Varos.
With Ami Kaye

PF: Mr. Varos, we are delighted to have you with us for this interview. Can you tell us how poetry is regarded in modern Greece? Do you think the internet has played a role in making Greek poetry more accessible internationally?

DV: As you know, Greece has a huge tradition in poetry. From Homer, Arion, Pindar, Sappho to Cavafy, Varnalis, and the two poets that were awarded with the Nobel Prize, George Seferis and Odysseus Elytis, not to mention  Giannis Ritsos, who was the poet-spokesperson for the Left wing in Greece, the great Greek poets are innumerable.

In the 60's and 70's, which were times of major political turmoil, Greek poetry had a significant appeal for the public. This was due to the fact that great music composers, who were also renowned abroad, such as Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis and Giannis Markopoulos, wrote songs based on the lyrics of Greek poets.
Many of these songs turned into the mottos and cries of political protesters and were inextricably linked with sensational events in the country, such as the Polytechnic uprising in Athens and its bloody outcome. At later times, this trend started to gradually fade.

These days, almost everybody in Greece writes poetry. That’s the good news. The bad news is that very few read poetry. A large number of new books are being published (mainly self published) every year but no one can sell more than 200-300 copies.

The internet is a new field of expression for modern poets, and a tool to communicate with each other instantaneously. The truth is, thanks to the internet, a number of modern Greek poets are recognised internationally. But we have to wonder: Are they the best or just the lucky ones? Because only few have the knowledge to build a web-site and even fewer can translate their works in English. I do believe that the internet will, at some point, play an important role in making Greek poetry known abroad. At present, however, the achievements of the said music composers with their work are yet to be surpassed.

PF: We understand you have been influenced by Greek poets, Nobel laureate George Seferis, the great K. Cavafy and Yannis Ritsos. Please share with our readers, some of the sources of English literature that have influenced your work.

DV: Besides Seferis, Cavafy, Ritsos and Elytis, whom I have the greatest admiration for, occasionally, I fall in love with the work of poets like Lorca or Neruda or Mayakovski and, of course, they do influence me at that particular point of reading. In terms of English-writing poets, I should mention Dylan Thomas, Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare - of course - and Lord Byron in particular due to the heroic and tragic relationship he shared with my country.

However, as strange as this may sound, I have been more influenced by some British or Americans that are known to us as song writers, not as poets - although to me they are poets with the additional gift of putting music to their poetry. I can only mention but a few of such song writers: Roger Waters, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Ann Clark, Loreena Mckennitt…

PF: We notice various mythological allusions in your poetry. Which ancient Greek works number among your favourites?

DV: The extent of Greek mythology is tremendous. Apart from Hesiod's Theogony, Homer’s epics, the labors of Hercules and Theseus that are known world-wide, there are millions of minor region-specific legends throughout Greece. Each mountain, river or islet has its own legend, which one can hear from the locals or read in a book about the history of that specific place. 

These legends, together with local landscapes and emotions, are sources of inspiration -especially for people like me, who love the great past of this place and are deeply grieved to see that the present falls short of this past, with construction and fires destroying its footprint, men not caring to know the history of their land and forgetting their heroes, traditions or religion. I write in one of my poems, “Local Strangers” (Current Issue):

“I shall stay here.
To give you back your homeland
that, for centuries now
you have walked on as foreigners.”

PF: In all genres of literature, one of the most challenging areas is translation. Considering you write mostly in Greek and wish to widen your reading audience, what are your feelings about translation?

DV: The translation of a novel or an essay often and inevitably falls somewhat short of the original work in the sense that the writer's style is usually lost. However, what stays is the 'myth', i.e. the plot that plays the primary role in this genre. The case is different with poetry, as the whole point is not what the poem says, but rather how the message is conferred.

I am prone to believe that poems are not just pretty texts, but sources of music, colors and emotions… Even the visual aesthetics of words play a role. How could all these be replicated by a translator? He would have to feel like the poet when he wrote his poems and be perfectly fluent in both languages. Allow me to say this: Both as a poet and a journalist, I use language on a daily basis. This has taught me that a language cannot be learned in just one lifetime (especially the Greek language, which has been in use for three, four thousand years). So, imagine how impossible this task is when it comes not to one, but two languages…

English-writing authors are fortunate nowadays as they can address half the globe; just like the Greeks did two thousand years ago at a time when the entire known world knew Greek.

Nowadays, no matter how great non-English writing poets may be, they would have to be fortunate enough for some English-writing artist to discover their work and be in a position to transfer the essence of it – not simply translate  – in English, which is, today, the international language.

PF: Please tell us briefly about your poetry books. Of all the books you have written, which one is your personal favourite?

DV:  I used to publish poems in newspapers and magazines as early as when I was still in high school. I also published on my own a lot of 30-60 page books and distributed them to friends. One of those poems - the most mature and complete one - is “O stranger” inspired by the well-known writing in Thermopylae, «O stranger go tell the Spartans…». I also published (in a few copies that are now lost) the said work in English when I was a student in London. The poem refers to my country’s struggle during the seven-year ruling of the military junta. (1967-1973).

My first attempt to write a thematic book as described above, is 'Andromeda', which was written in 1976-1978 and was published by the Art Friends Club of Chios island. The work revolved around the already evident ecological disaster, the indifference of people and the prediction that one day we will reach the point of no return, enter a space ark and head for another planet, which we are bound to destroy as well…

In the '80s, I completed “Thirasia”, which is a poetic "study" on hope that raises the following question: Is it perhaps that this beautiful concept acts as an inhibitor? Is it that it makes us stop fighting and claiming things, thus leading to a kind of inertia?

Political parties, as well as religions, give the promise of a better tomorrow. But what happens when you want the future right now? You embrace subversive ideas and get high on revolutionary songs, films and poems. You are sure that a rebellion is just a matter of time and you wait for something to happen, someone to make a start. You wait for the volcano of Santorini to explode and transform the landscape. However, all around there is total silence while you are ready to explode.

Thirasia is an islet in the group of islands around Santorini. It is a beautiful place, all which remained from an incredible historical explosion that changed the Eastern Mediterranean. It is a peaceful place (not riddled with tourists); however, what lies underneath is an active volcano.

Some months ago the Greek group “Vox” included a remake of “Electric Theseus” and recitations in its third CD.
“Thirasia” was formally published in 1996 by "Kastaniotis Publications", one of the largest publishing houses in Greece. Three years later, the same publisher released “Phryne”, which describes the journey of a couple: the beginning, the climax and the end. Like Phryne, the renowned, beautiful ancient courtesan, who bared her body and thus, dazzled and beat the judges, the hero in “Phryne” risks it all and imitates her boldness.  He crashes… He reveals his feelings because he believed in a beautiful myth or, rather, in many beautiful myths on life, love, other people and himself… This move provides others with the means to bring him down. However, despite his crush, he is not a loser. He gains the knowledge that “the secret of love, of struggle, of life itself, is the fascination of experience”.  

“Hypatia” is being published as we speak, named for the Greek philosopher, who was one of the last victims of religious fascism and symbolizes the end of ancient Greece and the beginning of the contemporary era. The subject of this book is bold, even when measured by the standards of our time, 2008, and provides a response to the following line of thinking: Embracing beauty, honoring valor, constant learning, imagination without restraints, the inclination to look for the answers to events, the passion for new explorations and the celebration of love... When all these elements co-exist, don't they make up the Ideal State we dream of? Who would disagree or put a stop to humanity taking this course?

Therefore, to your question which is my favorite, I honestly do not have any favorites. Every piece has a flaw so I always put my hopes and aspirations to the next piece I am going to write.

PF: How did your poetry come to be set to music?

DV: I handed some copies of my work to friends, this time accompanied with recitation and the sound of music. Giannis Markopoulos, the composer, heard it and was inspired by it to give a thematic concert (“Tolmiri Epikoinonia” means Dare Communication) in the ancient Herod Atticus theatre in Athens, in the summer of 1987. For the purpose of the concert I wrote the song lyrics that accompanied recitations. The concert was a success and, as a result, it was followed by a record by the same title. Subsequently, another record followed comprising the said concert live, a third one focusing on the most successful song (“Electric Theseus”), etc.
In addition, I would like to say that during the first years of my career as a journalist I used to write reviews about records (first for "Acropolis" and then for "Ethnos" newspapers). As a result, I was in touch with this field (composers, singers, song lyric writers, etc.) and made a lot of friends; however, as a reviewer, I fear that I might have inadvertently made more enemies…

PF:  Were there any experiences during your studies in London that contributed to your poetic inclinations?

DV: I cannot put my finger on anything in particular, except for the usual influences from reading or hearing things, events, interpersonal relationships, ideological disputes, etc. When I went to London in 1971, I had already acquired the habit of writing poetry as the means for expressing feelings or opinions.
London taught me the rules of journalism and encouraged me to respect the past of my country. English culture is so Hellenistic…

PF:  Is anyone else in your family interested in writing? Do your family members take active part in your poetry? 

DV: My wife is a journalist too, writing a lot every day but only for the newspaper. Our children, George (19) and Maggie (17) both study media. They are the viewers – perhaps, the admirers as well – of their parents’ journalistic activities and it seems that they want to follow in their footsteps.

PF:  Tell us a bit about your interest in photography. Have you held any exhibitions of your work?

DV: Photography has been a hobby since I was a child. A few Greek magazines (as “Photograher”, “Photografia” and the Greek edition of “PC Magazine”) have published portfolios of my work. I have also exhibited some work on the internet.

In my opinion, photography can be put to use for a lot of other things apart from reporting news, making ads etc. Photography can also turn into painting or making poems without words that need not be translated…When I started the site “Mind Games” in 1995, my goal was that there would be something to gain for any foreigners visiting this site (without exiting hurriedly saying, “That’s all Greek to me!”). So, I linked poems with photos. This worked, it was thought to be pioneering and my example was followed by many others - with some of them achieving better results than I did. 

PF: You have successfully combined your two talents in your wonderful web-site, Mind Games. However, what is your ultimate ambition with your poetry?

DV: Each artist dreams a lot and has a vast imagination - that is why he is an artist. I am going to give a somewhat unusual answer to this question: "The Wall" by Roger Waters - Pink Floyd is a work of poetry that became an amazing record, a thematic concert and a wonderful movie. This multi-dimensional presentation, contrary to impact of a mere book, can broaden meaning for an audience, satisfy the artist who wishes for his message to be received by the whole world, if possible, and give justice to the work itself.
This is the dream I will keep on dreaming for as long as I live…

(We thank Mr. Varos for his invaluable time, and permission to publish all his written and photographic work in this issue)