Greek Poet STATHIS GRIVAS passed away

Yesterday (October 7, 2011) in the Hospital of Livadia. The funeral is today (October 8) in his hometown.

“Poetry is a light”.

Stathis Grivas was born in Kato Tithorea o Lokrida (March 7, 1926). He studied Analyst in the ELKEPA, in IBM and Economist in the University of Economics & Business Sciences. He worked in the Hellenic Company of Chemical Products (1953-1986).

He has been appointed by the “IPTRC” of China as one of the International Best Poet of the Year 2007 and by the Literary Club “Xasteron” as “The Best Greek Poet of the Year 2007” (Marc 2008).

His writing has received awards from national and international poetry competitions. He has published 16 collections of poetry (from 1987 to 2011) and the book “Proverbs” (2006).

A small piece of poetry by STATHIS GRIVAS:

DIFFERENT WAYS

Our dreams, like old wrinkled yearnings

hopes made up into a packet

with past “best before” dates…

And from life’s shelves,

the fraternity has gone,

the affection has gone,

the kindness and love too.

These are uneconomical values

and soul’s workroom

does not produce them now.

It takes a lot of infrastructure

and the row materials are expensive…

HOW SMALL

The loud

big words

how small

and unimportant

sound

in front of the tear

of a hungry

child.

LIKE STARS’ LIGHT

When you’ll read

poems of poets

that they are gone

for their last trip,

then,

you’ll feel them

like stars’ light

that now have faded out

but yet are lighted

and they embroider

with their light

our starry sky.

Stathis Grivas was a citizen of the world, a famous poet, a wise man and a wonderful friend. Such people are rare nowadays.

ZACHAROULA GAITANAKI

ZONI, Arcadia, October 8, 2011.