The journey to Ithaca - from Katerina Nikoltsou

[Marie Wintzer]

The words of Constantine Cavafy have inspired Katerina to make this absolutely FAB booklet. The gift of a poem delicately wrapped in precious textures.

When you start your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.

[...] Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclops and the angry Poseidon.

[...] Stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise, 
[...] buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

[...] It is better to let it last for long years;
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

This is about the soul's inner journey, the bumps and turns along the long road. Gaining wisdom at each step, each encounter. I really like this poem, there is something so deliciously Greek about it (maybe the word Ithaca?), something reminiscent of the Odyssey.
I love the fact that it is typewritten, and the original Greek version printed on opaque paper, gently contrasting with the sandpaper islands. Lucky me again, I will cherish this, thank you Katerina!

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Nope, no snow fall in Ithaca, here ;-) Ithaca...ITHAKI....is really a tiny, poor island, pretty quiet they say until the summer tourism begins. I have traveled to many a Greek island, and back in 1983 came vary close, very close to visiting Ithaca. But, as the Greek Fates would have it, I stayed behind on the bigger island of Lefkada. One day, some day, I still plan to journey to Ithaca.

Many thanks to Marie or this blog, and many thanks to you all for your kind comments.

And for our Greek friends here at IUOMA:

[Marie Wintzer]

Thanks Karen!

[Marie Wintzer]

Thanks Sloan! Oh, you're right, when I googled Ithaca (I google everything) the New York version came up before the Greek one. So you are probably closer to Ithaca than Katerina is! This is a great anecdote.

The average annual snow fall in Ithaca (NY) is 68 inches (172.7cm), wow!

[Karen Champlin]

When I received this piece, I was overwhelmed.  It is a beautiful gift that moved me to tears.  Thank you Katerina, and wonderful blog, Marie.

[De Villo Sloan]

WOW - this is my favorite piece by Katerina I've seen so far, It's beautiful, as is the choice of poetry. Superb presentation, Marie. You've already made my day,

 

Note: I live very close to a real town named Ithaca, New York (home of Cornell University). So not a day passes without hearing often things such as: "I'm going to Ithaca," "I live in Ithaca,": "So & so needs a ride to Ithaca." And the mythic part always registers, never becomes commonplace. Unfortunately, I have to report Ithaca is buried under a foot of snow right now. Penelope is frigid.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

My thoughts, too, are with Bifidus...if not the horrid winter there, could be AND the flu? Hope all is well.

[Marie Wintzer]

That is a bit strange, usually my mail from JP reaches Bifidus in less than a week. Actually, I wonder if he is alright, I haven't seen him around for a while and his blog is on standby. But maybe the snow...

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Thank you, Marie and Cheryl for your warm comments...and Marie, this IS a featured blog as you made an art in itself! Now for Marie to search for more Cavafy! This little "item" was inspired by words from Bifidus about the "Homer" chapter for Project 26. And I fear that of the five "Itaca"s that were send out, it is only Bifidus who has not yet received it? Alfonso in Roma had it before I put it in the post :-) , he wrote me within 36 hours! And Karen, in snowbound Chicago managed to get her copy just hours before O'hare airport was closed. It even arrived already in south Africa! So...it has made a "journey" far and wide....but not to Minnesota yet? Well,' pray that the road is long...." and it will reach Bifidus soon!

[Marie Wintzer]

Thanks for this great add-on, Cheryl! Very interesting. Before receiving this booklet I didn't even know who Cavafy was. But this is so beautiful, his words are enchanting. The typewritten text looks like the poet has just finished writing it and will never publish it, a bit like a unique piece of history, in a private collection.

[cheryl penn]

Fantastic photographs and blog Marie – Can I add my bit here being one of the recipients of this wonderful pamphlet?  What I find interesting is that Katerina’s  booklet would have perfectly fitted Cavafy’s refusal to  bind his poems together in book format.  They were published in newspapers and annuals or printed privately on broadsheets.  I think he would have approved Kateriana of your treatment of Ithaca. After a tracheotomy Cavafy lost the power of speech, but his words still haunt as though he had just uttered them,  here, sitting in the same room.

 

My favorite  Cavafy lines:

In the Same Space” (1929) (Slightly modified of course)  

       The setting of houses, cafés, the neighborhoods
          that I see and walk through; years on end.
 
          I created you in joy and in sorrows
          with so many incidents, so many details.
 
          And you were transformed wholly into feeling, for me.