The Music of Truth in Tasos Livaditis’ Poetry

So many things can be said about Tasos Livaditis and more will be said when the upheaval that has taken control of our country goes away. Livaditis is the poet who we discover continuously. In his days he endured the struggle to the point when he realized that the myth of ideas is different than what he believed in and reality could be seen through a different lens. At that time he made his turn inward and he realized the human pain that originated in bygone eras continues in our days and most likely will continue into the future. He said quite characteristically:

           I come from days that have to be silenced

He put aside his past and followed a different path forward where he discovered the labyrinthian internal world of man. He went through narrow passages and he cried tragic voices which weren’t entirely only his own but they were the voices of contemporary people. He referred to that labyrinthian internal human essence when he said:

             During the day I usually dream or plough sand

             I doubt or debate or retreat but

             when night falls I run from garden to garden and

             placing my ear on the bark of the trees

             I listen to the ancient sob 

~Kostas Vrettakos