Nikos Tselepides

LIKE A KNIFE EDGE


Strong like a knife edge
this sudden weather
is it the wind
cutting the sunlight

its whistle in the air
mingles with the sun rays
both mean to touch me
and make me believe again

I walk on the live soil
and the trees vibrate
water still flows everywhere
as sure as blood in my veins

my eyes return the flirtation
I touch everything and
everything touches me back


TRANSPOSED

Burning like a hot iron
is it you facing me
smiling in the light
and having designs on me

You need a touch
on your body, strong
as a steel rod and ready
to conquer your time

We touch and continue in wind
in the sun we become believers
in life, brand new exponents
of the old and only tradition






Nikos Tselepides
March 25th, 2008
Athens, Greece
From a series of Nature Poems.
The 2nd poem is a variation of the 1st at another level.

butchiesmom

I like the second one better. The images and emotions are stronger and it gets to the point of the story. I can see what you are talking about.

The first one is more abstract and the reader has to sit and really think about what you're saying. The second one just flat out says it!

hugs,
Gail

Nikos Tselepides

Buthciesmom,

Thanks for the fine comments. I see what you mean about the second one being better.
It is clearer, as you said. The first one stays within the realm of the pure nature poem, of which there are very few around in our days. The second one was an intended effort to make a more down-to-earth version to which people could relate more easily.

It is perhaps unfortunate that readership over the past 20 years has lost its ability to relate to pure lyric or nature poetry. "The landscape is not enough" and we have come to need the frills and bells and gongs of million-times-said cliches of "romantic" nature.

I feel like a lone creature howling in the wind when I write poems like this--there is not much company around.

By the way, if that is you in the picture, you look great. and my kind of person.

Thank you again.

butchiesmom

Yep, that's me and thanks for the compliment. My husband took it for me. I'm sure he'll love the compliment on the picture.

As for the nature of writing with the bells and whistles, lol, I'm mostly for plain speak, such as Robert Frost once wrote. Flowery verse is ok, but tell me a rose has dew on the petal, not diamonds on whatever, lol.

hugs,
Gail