Half an Hour
I never had you, nor will I ever have youI suppose.
A few words, an approachas in the bar yesterday, and nothing more.
It is, undeniably, a pity.
But we who serve Artsometimes with intensity of mind, and of course onlyfor a short while, we create pleasurewhich almost seems real.
So in the bar the day before yesterday — the merciful alcoholwas also helping much —I had a perfectly erotic half-hour.
And it seems to me that you understood,and stayed somewhat longer on purpose.
This was very necessary.
Becausefor all the imagination and the wizard alcohol,
I needed to see your lips as well,
I needed to have your body close.
Original Greek:
Μισή
Μήτε σε απέκτησα, μήτε θα σε αποκτήσωποτέ, θαρρώ.
Μερικά λόγια, ένα πλησίασμαόπως στο μπαρ προχθές, και τίποτε άλλο.
Είναι, δεν λέγω, λύπη.
Αλλά εμείς της Τέχνηςκάποτε μ'έντασι του νού, και βέβαια μόνογια λίγην ώρα, δημιουργούμεν ηδονήνη οποία σχεδόν σαν υλική φαντάζει.
Ετσι στο μπαρ προχθές -- βοηθώντας κιόλαςπολύ ο ευσπλαχνικός αλκολισμός --είχα μισή ώρα τέλεια ερωτική.
Και το κατάλαβες με φαίνεται,κ'έμεινες κάτι περισσότερον επίτηδες.
Ηταν πολλή ανάγκη αυτό.
Γιατίμ'όλην την φαντασία, και με το μάγο οινόπνευμα,χρειάζονταν να βλέπω και τα χείλη σου,χρειάζονταν να'ναι το σώμα σου κοντά.
Constantine P Cavafy
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