The Lady of the Vineyards

“Lady of the Vineyards, we have seen you behind the net of the pine forest
at daybreak, tidying up eagle nests and shepherd huts.
Upon your skirt the broad shadows of vine leaves quivered under the
morning star. —
Two groggy bees hung like earrings upon your ears
and orange blossoms shone upon your black, burnt-out path.
Dark Lady, the sun’s afterglow gilded your hands like the Madonna’s
icon.
In the curly down of your neck glistened the night dew
as if it had a change of heart before the Milky Way vanished,
and was fastened on your neck like a necklace slipping into the warmth
of your bosom…”

Yannis Ritsos, The Lady of the Vineyards
Translated by Apostolos N. Athanassakis