Lefteris’ bookshop, Hydra

[mat james]

If you scroll down the page (link below) you will find a poem about a "bookshop moment" with a wonderful man named Lefteris.
He runs a bookshop on Hydra "for something to do while he is reading" . He was once a Sea Captain and no doubt has many fascinating stories to tell.
I was telling him that I loved Kazantzakis' Zorba and we then fell into one of those lovely conversations that give life meaning and pleasure.
I intend to write a few more poems about our recent trip from OZ to the Rockies (on a Harley) then "off forth on swing" to the land of Eyre
(and lovely, generous Brid/"lonndubh") all the way down to Hydra and on to Singapore (the world's best food )and home to the land of OZ.
...A true circumnavigation of the globe; around the world in 48 days ! and what fun !
The few poems that eventuate will be placed on the "rusty old and beautiful" thread, so if you are interested, have a look on the link below from time to time.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7463&start=180

Regards, Mat (matbbgj) James.

[Cate]

He pulled up a chair for you.
We sat and talked of deeper things,
that retired sea captain and I
sitting at his bookshop desk
spilling coffee, Kazantzakis and Plato
and you listened, quietly.
He knew our "tower of song"
along those cobbled steps
of twists and upward turns
past Lazaro's yellow house and on,
like his cobbled thoughts on Aristotle
who he found incomprehensible,
the hard marble of those classic thinkers;
and he may well know
for he was reading their words
in ancient Greek.

And as for antipodean-neo-platonic Mat?
I suggested their meaning;
a simple
...single-salty drop ...all Ocean;

and in your stunning smile he knew my Seas .

Hi Mat I’ve enjoyed watching this poem develop.
In the first version I liked that You was not mentioned until the end. It was like stepping into a vignette which at first was a close up of the Narrator and Bookshop owner deeply engaged of theoretical philosophy - there was a certain texture to it, to the men and then as moved on it kinda panned back and seeing the greater picture with You included and the salt of your seas and the implication of love, we move away from the theoretical into a more applied philosophy that seems more tangible and real. N becomes somebody who might actually know what he’s speaking about. Version 2 (meaning the second time I looked) seemed to lose that a bit.
Version 3 (meaning the third time I looked ) which has some subtle changes that I can’t really pinpoint, is my current favourite. I especially like the addition of you name – that line was slightly awkward/abstract before (and not just because I had to look up what you were talking about ) including your name added a warmth to it.

[mat james]

Wow Cate,
You do notice a lot!!

Those changes I made, more or less as you suggest.
I am still uncertain about including the new first line about the chair being pulled up. I too like the idea of introducing the third member of the group in the last few lines, but I felt it may be too confusing.
I am still undecided but will think on it.
In fact the placement of the chair by Lefteris is exactly what happened and in a way, framed the whole scene, from then on; so I suppose it belongs.
I included Hydra in the title to give the poem a "place"; the place and a sense of familiarity to those forum members who may have walked these streets too.

Here is the original version. Maybe it is better ???

Lefteris’ bookshop

We sat and talked of deeper things
that retired sea captain and I
sitting at his bookshop desk
spilling coffee, Kazantzakis and Plato.
He knew the tower of song
up those cobbled steps
of twists and upward turns
past the yellow house
and on
like his cobbled thoughts on Aristotle
who he found incomprehensible
the hard rock of those ancient writers;
and he may well know
for he was reading their words
in ancient Greek.

But for antipodean me ?
I argued a simple
single-salty drop ...all Ocean;

and as You smiled
he knew my seas
swarmed with life.

Regards, MatbbgJ

[Cate]

Ah yes there's the first one that I saw.

I know - you're not suppose to just randomly drop in characters, but it seemed to give her more significance more of an ahhh moment as we see the bigger picture. I like the line 'and you listened, quietly' as You has a soft presence here - the focus is still on the man and the sea captain/book merchant.

[mat james]

the focus is still on the man and the sea captain/book merchant.

It's not "the man" Cate, It is me!!!

...and I loved being there
the cobblestones
the donkeys
the masts above the roof-tops
the walking
the sounds
Adam re-building his garden
and being there
with someone "who wanted to be there !"

[Cate]

It's not "the man" Cate, It is me!!!

Ha ha - oh it's you! I thought that image in my head looked familiar.
well, I wasn't to far off after all 'You're the man!' (hopefully that slag translates well to Australian)

Adam re-building his garden
and being there
with someone "who wanted to be there !"

I like that.


(I knew it was you but just for the record - when I have a character named "I" it's not always me. )

[mat james]

Cate,

Adam re-building his garden

I'm glad you picked up on the poetry inherent in that line!
It is pregnant with possibilities.
I have been working on a poem (for 2 weeks) in my head based around that line, recurring through the poem.
There is more to this line/story than meets the eye and it will come out in the poem once completed.

The seeds are there and you have watered them yet again.

MatbbgJ

[mat james]

...shortly after leaving Lefteris' bookshop we walked home to our Ippokampos appartment, top floor. Outside on the communal balcony sat a man and we began to talk, easily, freely, he had an inclusive, generous and open manner and I listened to his stories of his youth, his artist mother (I met her next day), his friendship with Leonard's household including young Axel, the son of "Marianne". It was a wonderfully interesting conversation for me and he showed me many old photos of his time on Hydra back then in the 60's. I also met his vivacious mother, a friend of Leonard.
When I arrived home I was looking up (surfing the net) some of the names I heard in that wonderful conversation and I stumbled on this lovely photo of "axel's mum"; I thought you might like to view it also.

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l? ... 05ad932b73

By co-incidence, we dined in a lovely outdoor restaurant that had a beautiful old tree. I sat under it to take in the atmosphere and I was sitting just in front of the guy smiling (but about 50 years later).
Here is another of those shots; do you see the guy smiling?

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l? ... 03b3ef81c8

Life is good to me sometimes. But how do I put all this into a poem?
...does it matter if I can't.
(By the way, the tall Nordic on the left is my friendly neighbour's father. I could tell by simply looking at him.
These were the days when these young artists just hung out and worked on their art. "Leonard was the only one who really made it" (in the sense of being famous).
But so what. They all had a go and, so it looks to me, had a lot of fun in the process and (those I met) still are.

MatbbgJ

[Andrew (Darby)]

Hey Mat, thanks for sharing this delightful story : what a great experience for you to have there and so good to see the LIFE photos you found of Hydra back then, including those of Marianne, that "guy smiling" , as well as the various other artists and significant people we have come to know were there at the same time as Leonard (such as "our own George & Charmaine")!

Cheers
Andrew

[Cate]

Dear BBG

That's a great picture. She really was, and I’m sure still is, very beautiful in the most natural way. I love how she is looking at Axil. Your friends father is very striking as well - everyone is , perhaps they’re just very happy. I have a picture to share with you too – it’s of Leonard, his moustache and Irving Layton, It’s in an I.L. biography that I just picked up this weekend – I’ll scan it later.

it's later - adding in pic, sorry about poor quality

I'm not sure now why I bought a biography - I don't like biographies at least of this nature Once I bought a book of Letters by Irving Layton - that I liked.

Life is good to me sometimes. But how do I put all this into a poem?
...does it matter if I can't.

Nope - it doesn't matter in the least if you can't, because you'll always keep beauty like that safe inside your mind, which is much more important then ink marks on paper! You'll get close to capturing it though, I’m certain of it and I’m hoping that you post as you’re working on it (them) – I’ve gotten a bit quiet but I’m still reading.
For now though just be greedy and gooble up every moment as it comes and experience it to it’s fullest – that’s an order btw. (Don't make me go and get I.F.'s whip - she gets very grumpy when I don't return it promptly)

X
Cate

[imaginary friend]

(Don't make me go and get I.F.'s whip - she gets very grumpy when I don't return it promptly)

Ah Cate – that's 'cos I need it more than you do;
you only have to talk your sweet talk to them and they behave beautifully

XO to you and

XO to Mat

[Cate]

Oh please... if you wanted you could sweet talk a snake into becoming a vegetarian, you've got a way about you for sure. Admit you're just clingy when it comes to your gear

XO back at you - thanks for responding to my blatant attention seeking.

[mat james]

sharing
and baring
and whipping !
all
too much
for this
cuntry boy.

[Cate]

.


Mat!!!!