Elena Polygeni reads her poem "To Be Done with the Matter," which is collected in 'Austerity Measures: The New Greek Poetry,' edited by Karen Van Dyck (NYRB Poets, 2017). English translation and original Greek text below:
TO BE DONE WITH THE MATTER
Not me, not my face
not what’s hiding
under my shirt.
I speak up though I know my voice
will drown in the icebox
where frozen animals
hang.
Who cares if it exists or not.
In the racket I raise my hands
to the heavens.
How beautiful the angels are
dead
with their sad eyes watching us.
(Trans. by Karen Van Dyck)
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