Arseny Tarkovsky
The Greek Coffee House

Where white the rock in untamed splendour
Is swallowing the deep blue sea,
There Lambrunidi, Greek bartender
Be-fezzed, awaited guests by quay.

They hung their nets and extricated
From tangled knots the dripping floats
And, childlike, grinning, animated,
They pulled at sleeves of tattered coats.

“Come in, dear guests, your work is ended,
Today the coffee’s just like wine!”
Long silence then on bar descended
As bony plaques fell
Into line.

And Zoe brought the little beakers
And spilling words of wind-burnt speakers
Hid evil matter in soft drawl,
As if sea’s meshing, crashing breakers
From slender shoulders then did fall.

Translated by Rupert Moreton