THE GOD ABANDONS ANTONY
C.P. CAVAFY (1863-1933) GREEK.
Cavafy was a private poet, not publishing at all in his lifetime, but preferring to give his work to his friends. He earned his living as a Civil Servant in Egypt, had various homosexual affairs, but lived as privately as he wrote.
A long time ago, capsizing from one failed relationship to another, a chance meeting found me Cavafy. I don't regret it; slightest accidents open up new worlds.
When suddenly at midnight you hear
an invisible procession going by
with exquisite music, voices,
don't mourn your luck that's failing now,
work gone wrong, your plans
all proving deceptive - don't mourn them uselessly;
as one long prepared and full of courage,
say goodbye to her, the Alexandria that is leaving.
Above all, don't fool yourself, don't say
it was a dream, your ears deceived you:
don't degrade yourself with empty hopes like these.
As one long prepared, and full of courage,
as is right for you who were given this kind of city,
go firmly to the window
and listen with deep emotion,
but not with the whining, the pleas of the coward;
listen- your final pleasure - to the voices,
to the exquisite music of that strange procession,
and say goodbye to her, to the Alexandria you are losing.
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