The Photograph

Constantine P. Cavafy 1863 (Alexandria) – 1933 (Alexandria)



In this obscene photograph sold in the street
secretly (have to watch out for the police),
in this whorish photograph,
how could there be such a dream-like face?
How did you get in here?

Who knows what a degrading, vulgar life you lead;
how horrible the surroundings must have been
when you posed to have this picture taken;
what a cheap soul you must have.
But in spite of all this, and even more, you remain for me
the dream-like face, the figure
shaped for and dedicated to the Hellenic kind of pleasure-
that's how you remain for me
and how my poetry speaks about you.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

32 sec read
38

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXXXX XXXXABBAX
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 567
Words 108
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 5, 9

Constantine P. Cavafy

Constantine P. Cavafy was a Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant. He published 154 poems; dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. His most important poetry was written after his fortieth birthday. more…

All Constantine P. Cavafy poems | Constantine P. Cavafy Books

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