International Greek language day

In 2007, the 9th of February was designated as “International Greek Language Day”.  The celebration of the Greek language aims to highlight the pivotal role that it has played through the ages.

Source: https://www.mfa.gr/missionsabroad/en/ireland-en/news/international-greek-language-day-february-2022.html

Greek poet George Seferis was born Georgios Seferiades in Urla close to Izmir, Turkey. He worked as a diplomat for the Royal Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1963.

Source: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/george-seferis

Denial (Άρνηση) is a poem by George Seferis published in his collection Turning Point (Στροφή ) in 1931.

After the coup that overthrew the Greek government in 1967, Seferis went into voluntary seclusion and many of his poems were banned, including the musical versions which Mikis Theodoraki had written and arranged. Denial came to be the anthem of resistance to the regime and was sung by the enormous crowds lining the streets at Seferis’ funeral.

DENIAL

On the secret seashore
white like a pigeon
we thirsted at noon;
but the water was brackish.

On the golden sand
we wrote her name;
but the sea-breeze blew
and the writing vanished.

With what spirit, what heart,
what desire and passion
we lived our life; a mistake!
So we changed our life.