Passing Through

The things he timidly imagined as a schoolboy
are openly revealed to him now. And he walks the streets,
stays out all night, gets involved. And as is right (for our kind of art)
his blood -fresh and hot-
offers itself to pleasure. His body is overcome
by forbidden erotic ecstasy; and his young limbs
give in to it completely.
                                       In this way a simple boy
becomes something worth our looking at, for a moment
he too passes through the exalted World of Poetry,
the young sensualist with blood fresh and hot.

Constantine P. Cavafy

Back to [ Menu | Main Page ]