The Voyage

A sun-flooded day, an incredible dream! with Annoula:

a few good old friends and some girls and Annoula and I

got into a blue, drunken boat, methysméni varkoúla,

got in and went off and away to the Island of Joy.

Not a cloud and not even a puff of black smoke in the sky:

all around us were breasts full of love, there were throats snowy-white:

there was light on fair hair, on the sea: light was everywhere, light:

oh, but who ever got there at all, to the Island of Joy?

Oh, what do Icare if we get there? Who cares? In the ringing

sweet laughter of friends, all life’s troubles go laughing away!

We are rolled in infinity! Hark at Annoula’s wild singing!

Looming somewhere, wherever, the faraway Island of Joy.

Translated from Greek by © Timothy Ades