English Subtitles for Fata Morgana by Marisa Koch

Check this out: English Subtitles for Fata Morgana by Marisa Koch
Poetry by Nikos Kavvadias

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP8-r8t1_w

Thats really beautiful, thanks for posting it

Well, after 4,5 years I'm digging for this one, strange times.

The "eye of the cyclone" has NOTHING to do with the photo that's been chosen in the vid.

The "eye of the cyclone" is the ABSOLUTE calm place while sailing.

Unbelievable is also the way "the red colored rust", or "the Carthaginian rust" may bring VIVID memories to a man's mind.

In the future I may translate what Kavvadias had said about particular lyrics of the poem.

A too great of a sensual poem indeed.

For every work there is a background story.

"Fata Morgana" is a poem which Kavvadias dedicated to a certain woman, called Theano Souna.
The only photograph which depicts them together follows. Souna is the woman sited at his right side.



So on 1973, at the age of 63, Kavvadias fells for Theano Souna, a 25y/o linguist.

This "kind of affair" was for Kavvadias the result of an old curse. He was the receiver of a mature woman's curse during his youth, cause he refused her loving feelings and departed.

Here's some parts of recorded conversations with some friends of his. (Parts taken from these books no1 , no2)

Originally Posted by Kavvadias chat

«Στα τελευταία του χρόνια έλεγε για τον έρωτα:
— Τον κορόιδευα, δεν τον πίστευα. Ίσως τον φοβόμουνα, γιατί όχι; Και χθες πήγα στον Πειραιά κι έψαχνα να βρω κάτι… μια γυναίκα που μου πε μια φορά: Σε καταριέμαι να αγαπήσεις εξήντα χρονών και να δούμε τότε πώς θα γελάς τώρα που φεύγεις! Και πήγα στο νεκροταφείο να της ανάψω ένα κερί, παρ' όλο που δεν είμαι θρήσκος και δεν πιστεύω στο Θεό. Ήμουνα εγώ είκοσι, αυτή ήταν πενήντα.

— Φυσικό ήτανε τότε να φύγεις.
— Φυσικά, ναι. Αλλά τώρα η κοπέλα που αγαπάω εγώ είναι 25 κι εγώ 65.
— Αν σου πει μείνε, την παρατάς τη θάλασσα;
— Όχι, για όνομα του Θεού, όχι.»
__________________________________________________ __

During the last years of his life he was saying about love:
-I was afraid of love: I made fun of this feeling. Probably cause I was scared of it, why shouldn't I? And so yesterday I went to Pireaus searching to find something ... a woman which once told me "I curse you to fell in love at the age of 60 and then we'll see how will you laugh about your departure" and now I went to cemetery to light a candle on her grave, even if I'm not a spiritual person nor I believe in God. I was 20 back then and she was 50.

-Then, it was natural for you to leave.
-Yes it was. But now the girl I fell for is 25 and I'm 65.
-If she says "Don't depart", are you quitting sailing?
-No, for God's shake no

Originally Posted by Kavvadias chat

— Θέλεις;
— Όχι, τό 'κοψα δυο μήνες τώρα.
— Και μυρίζεις την πίπα. Πώς το έκοψες; Δεν θα ξανακαπνίσω, είπες, και το 'κοψες;
— Μου είπε… κάποιος να το κόψω και το ᾽κοψα.
— Καταλάβαμε, μην συνεχίζεις.
Γελάει.
— Τώρα εσύ τι λες, Αριάδνη, να το ξαναρχίσω ή να την περιμένω;
— Δεν ξέρω πώς σκέφτεται εκείνη, τι να σου πω…
— Κι εγώ δεν ξέρω, εγώ φταίω. Της έλεγα, της επέμενα να φύγει, εγώ εξήντα πέντε, εσύ είκοσι πέντε, δεν ταιριάζει, φύγε. Και έφυγε. Και τώρα την παρακαλώ να γυρίσει και δεν γυρίζει. Εσύ, μου λέει, δεν επέμενες να σ' αφήσω; Ε, σ' άκουσα, τώρα τι θέλεις; Προχθές έπιασα ένα τσιγάρο και τώρα σκέφτομαι να το ξαναρχίσω. Να τ' αρχίσω;
— Όχι, γιατί μπορεί να γυρίσει και να σου το ξανακόψει…
— Μπα, δεν γυρίζει. Μ' αυτή την ελπίδα ζω και εγώ, αλλά είναι Πυθία πια, Σίβυλλα».
___________________________________________

-Do you want some cigarette?
-No I quited two months ago
-But you still sniff the smell of your pipe. How did you manage to quit? You just said "I won't smoke again" and managed to quit?
-Someone... told me to quit and I quited it.
-Ok we got it.
He laughs
-Ariadne what are you suggesting? To restart it or wait for her?
-What can I say I don't know how she is thinking.
-I don't know either, it's my fault. I was telling her, I insisted for her leaving me, "I'm 65 and you're 25, it doesn't seem to match, go away" And she left. And now I beg her to come back and she refuses. She says "It was you who insisted for me to leave, and so I heard your words. What do want from me now?" Some days ago I touched a cigarette and I now think of restarting smoking. Should I?
-No way she may come back and re-enforce you to quit it.
-Buh... she won't come back. That's some hope that makes me still live, but now she's turned to be some Pythia, some Sibyl .

In the future I'll probably continue with some analysis of the lyrics of the song and not the whole poem.

And if in case "Fata Morgana" has been already translated by Simon Darragh on "Wireless Operator" I ask from Catherini to write it down for us..

Hi Amethystos
I'm in Naxos at the moment, I will check to see if the translation is in the book when I get back next week.
I hope I can help, Catherini xx

The english translation is already embedded in the youtube video

Amethystos was looking for a translation by Simon Darragh, who has previously translated some of Nkos Kavvadias's poems.

Unfortunately is not one that has been translated in 'Wireless Operator.'

I'm looking forward to hearing your analysis of the lyrics Amethystos.

Originally Posted by catherini

Amethystos was looking for a translation by Simon Darragh, who has previously translated some of Nkos Kavvadias's poems.

Unfortunately is not one that has been translated in 'Wireless Operator.'

I'm looking forward to hearing your analysis of the lyrics Amethystos.

Thank you my Catherini for searching. Too bad Simon Darragh hasn't created a translation for the whole poem....
I've promised to write my personal point of view to these more than sensual lyrics of Kavadias, but till I find the time and mood to do such a work I'll post here my last finding regarding the particular song.

Mariza Koch wrote the music and selected the lyrics of the poem that were going to be sung. Production released on 1978.
5 years later, on 1983, a short version of the song has been created for Marco Ferreri's "Storia di Piera" sung by a woman which according to movie's credits was called Evangelia Papageorgiou.

Song can be heard from 7.08 to 8.30 in the following link - > http://www.nowvideo.li/video/2d273f502def1


Here's a painting not totally irrelevant to the song, to my eyes this is maybe a hurricane's eye but there may be references to other poems also.(marabou which consists the title of his first collection can be seen painted next to Kavadias)
Painter is called Yiorgo Hatzis.



Ps. Btw next time you visit a Greek island consider Alonissos .... Simon Darragh lives there

Thank you Amethystos for the always interesting information.

The painting is immediately recognisable as Nikos Kavvadias and i like it so much. The reference to Marabou would explain why he is looking so sad. I love that poem, always gives me goosebumps when I read it.

Mariza Koch certainly did justice to to the poem Fata Morgana by her musical interpretation, it is a very moving song. Looking forward to hearing your views when you have the time.


Ps. There are so many islands I would like to visit, i will add Alonissos to the list and keep an eye out for Mr D.

I shall receive "Holly Communion" with sea water distilled from your body drop by drop

Offered in an ancient Algerian copper chalice

used by pirates of old to receive Holy Communion before fighting


A leather cloth all smeared with wax

a smell of cedar wood of incense and varnish

Like the hold smells in an old ship

Built in ancient time in Euphrates in Phoenicia


Fire-colored like the rust from the mines of Sinai

and the iron ore at the loading docks in Gerakini and Stratoni

The (Carthaginian) coating, the sacred rust that gives us birth

that feeds us, feeds on us and kills us


Whence come you?

From Babylon

Where do you go?

To the eye of the cyclone

Whom do you love?

Some gypsy girl

What's her name?

Fata Morgana



__________________________________________________ ______

I'll try to be direct as always.

Kavadias wrote this poem while in love with a woman but also knowing that his time was ending.

In "Fata Morgana" he describes female genital area.

He offers his experience of taste (communion with sea (aka salty) water), touch (leather cloth all smeared with wax) and smell (smell of cedar wood of incense and varnish) of this area.

Finally there's a reference to the "vaginal smear" or "vaginal coating" or in poem the "Carthaginian rust".
A vivid impression!!!
An impression living in a man's mind. The smell the touch and the taste of the "rusty coating" of vagina.
Compared directly to the red-colored rust of iron ore.
Iron also contained in blood, blood of period/Menstruation.

In there a male is introduced to life as sperm (gives us birth), offer to life as donate (feeds on us) and finally loosing any purpose for living after this (kills us).

Regarding the last part of death, I believe this is a reference to both physical death and the stance of the ordinary man after the intercourse when he shows that he prefers to sleep-relax.

Finally there's the dialogue.
A dialogue in a man's mind.

Whence come you?
From Babylon
Where do you go?
To the eye of the cyclone

The moment he recognize himself as a child of "human clade" coming from the Babylonian area (cradle of mankind), aiming to go to the absolute calmness of the "Eye of the cyclone" (by completing his reproduction and doing the will of his nature and finally reaching his death since there's no easy way exiting the walls of the cyclone),
then some strong questions rise.

Whom do you love?
Some gypsy girl
What's her name?
Fata Morgana

What made him come this far? Which is the goal his nature set him to?

Which is the one he loves? A gypsy girl, an optical illusion like "Fata Morgana".

His nature made him love "SOME" woman, "THE" woman, the female prototype.

Wow...Amethystos that is quite an interpretation and very delicately explained. I had no idea of the actual meaning of the lyrics and, more often than not, I am guilty of just enjoying the words and music at face value and do not search for any other meanings.
I have listened to the song again and again to try to capture what is being said in relation to your explanation. But obviously the full poem is not included in the song. You have given us the meaning as you are able to fully comprehend what is being said.
Many thanks for your work and I will listen to this song with a better understanding from now on !

Thank you for your kind words catherini.

I tried to be delicate since when you write on an "open" forum about such issues you have to be careful and precise if English isn't your mother lang.

If you're guilty of enjoying a song without knowing lyrics meaning, then we are all guilty .....

Mariza Koch has done a WONDERFUL work by picking the specific lyrics of the poem. Any Greek if is "guided" to the meaning may confirm that.
A basic point not about the meaning but about the conditions of poem's writing, is that Kavadias had lived a "reckless" life of a sailor and only during the last 2 years of his life he fell for the woman which made him write about "the different stages of a man's life".
He must recognized his own "Fata Morgana".

I also strongly believe that he was aware that he was close to his end when he wrote this. (but surely can't prove it )

Nikos Kavvadias - Statue.jpg

Thanks for for all your information Amethystos, I couldn't learn this without your help.

I took this photo of Nikos Kavvadias in Kefalonia a couple of years ago. (It's a bit small, I may try and enlarge it)