Essential Cavafy

by Constantinos P. Cavafy, Edmund Keeley, Philip Sherrard

Though not published until after his death in 1933, the poetry of C.P. Cavafy has come to be recognized as having a unique and fundamental influence upon modern literature.
Much of Cavafy's verse explores the history and culture of his Alexandria, often in the context of his own uneasy relationship with its contemporary incarnation. In a sensual, meditative, sometimes playfully didactic style all his own, Cavafy reflects upon the "myth" of Alexandria and the ironies of its entanglement with his own existence and memories.
In this most recent volume in the Essential Poets Series, editor Edmund Keeley has gathered together the poems for which Cavafy has come to be regarded as one of the most important and influential poets of the twentieth century. In addition, Keeley has provided readers with an insightful introduction and biography of the poet.

Genres: Poetry

69 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Constantine P. Cavafy (also known as Konstantin or Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis, or Kavaphes; Greek Κ.Π. Καβάφης) was a major Greek poet who worked as a journalist and civil servant. His consciously individual style earned him a place among the most important figures not only in Greek poetry, but in Western poetry as well. He has been called a skeptic and a neo-pagan. In his poetry he examines critically some aspects of Christianity, patriotism, and homosexuality, though he was not always comfortable with his role as a nonconformist. He published 154 poems; dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. His most important poetry was written after his fortieth birthday.

Reviews

[ChrisM · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short collection of well-translated poems by Cavafy, though a few essential ones are missing from this volume.

[MaKayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

the first section is stronger than the rest, not my favorite style

[Wendy]

Referenced in Margaux With an X by Ron Koertge