Bend if you can to the dark sea forgetting <br />the flute's sound on naked feet <br />that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life. <br /> <br />Write if you can on your last shell <br />the day the place the name <br />and fling it into the sea so that it sinks. <br /> <br />We found ourselves naked on the pumice stone <br />watching the rising islands <br />watching the red islands sink <br />into their sleep, into our sleep. <br />Here we found ourselves naked, holding <br />the scales that tipped toward injustice. <br /> <br />Instep of power, unshadowed will, considered love, <br />projects that ripen in th emidday sun, <br />course of fate with a young hand <br />slapping the shoulder; <br />in the land that was scattered, that can't resist, <br />in the land that was once our land <br />the islands, -rust and ash- are sinking. <br /> <br />Altars destroyed <br />and friends forgotten <br />leaves of the palm tree in mud. <br /> <br />Let your hands go traveling if you can <br />here on time's curve wtih the ship <br />that touched the horizon. <br />When the dice struck the flagstone <br />when the lance struck the breast-plate <br />when the eye recognized the stranger <br />and love went dry <br />in punctured souls; <br />when looking round you see <br />feet harvested everywhere <br />dead hands everywhere <br />eyes darkened everywhere; <br />when you can't any longer choose <br />even the death you wanted as your own- <br />hearing a cry, <br />even the wolf's cry, <br />your due: <br />let your hands go traveling if you can <br />free yourself from unfaithful time <br />and sink- <br />So sinks whoever raises the great stones.<br /><br />Giorgos Seferis<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/santorini-the-naked-child/
