85 - Karaghioziss

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Angeliki Papadopoulou

Plain paper in a box
smudge’s color
small body without a soul,
precious figure.

When the mood takes him over,
the giaour dies;
then all the world fills up
and the hunchback comes out.

The boy of shadow
with the long arm
turns on the heart’s light,
immortal clever boy.

This is the myth of the poor
performances of speech,
and it became the legend of the people,
the resistances of laughter.

Note
Karaghiozis: the main character of the traditional Greek shadow theater.