On the hills of Aetolia

Yannis Ritsos

I'm not listening to you—he says—
I find the hill beautiful
the tree beautiful
the shadow of birds on the grass
and myself
beautiful—he says—
in the water or in the mirror
whatever you say
my part isn't diminished
in the river
or in a rose.

from The Shadows of Birds (1980) [Collected Poems: IDelta ---pg 361]

(translated by Scott King)