Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Η Ελιά - The olive tree.



Ο Ομηρος και ο Πίνδαρος, ο Αισχύλος και ο Σοφοκλής 'εχουν αφιερώσει μοναδικούς, υπέροχους
στίχους - ύμνους στην προσφορά της. Στη σύγχρονη ποίηση και την πεζογραφία η ελιά πρωταγωνίζεται.
Παλαμάς, Σικελιανός, Ρίτσος, Σεφέρης, Ελύτης δεν παραλείπουν να αναφερθούν στο δέντρο
"με της ρυτίδες των γονιών μας".

Homer and Pindar, Aeschylus and Sophocles devoted unique, superb verses to hymning its benefits.
In modern poetry and prose it plays a leading role.
Palamas, Sikelianos, Ritsos, Seferis, Elytis all speak of the tree "with the wrinkles of our forefathers".

Η Ελιά.
Είμαι του ήλιου η θυγατέρα
Η πιο απ' όλες χαίδευτή.
Χρόνια η αγάπη του πατέρα
Σ'αυτόν τον κόσμο με κρατεί.
Οσο να πέσω νεκρωμένη,
Αυτόν το μάτι μου ζητεί.
Είμ' η ελιά η τιμημένη.

Οπου κι αν λάχω κατοικία
Δε μ'απολείπουν οι καρποί.
Ως τα βαθειά μου γηρατεία
Δε βρίσκω στη δουλειά ντροπή.
Μ'έχει ο Θεός ευλογημένη,
κι είμαι γεμάτη προκοπή.
Είμ' η ελιά η τιμημένη.

Κωστής Παλαμάς

The Olive.
I am the daughter of the sun,
the most carressed of all.
For years the love of a father
Has held me in this world.
Until I fall in death,
my eye seeks him.
I am the olive, held in honour.

Wherever I find home,
my fruit is never lacking.
Until extreme old age,
I find no shame in work.
I have the blessing of God,
And I am all industriousness.
I am the olive, held in honour.

Costis Palamas


Στο ηλιόλουστο ελληνικό τοπίο, κάτω από το γαλανό μας ουρανό, η ελιά ακούραστη,
σκεπτική και συνεπής συνυφαίνει το παρελθoν με το παρόν, αυτοδιαμορφωνόμενη
και μεταβαλλόμενη ως μυθικός Πρωτέας. Δεν είναι αιώνια, αλλά αθάνατη στις καρδιές μας.
Κόσμημα της ελληνικής γης, ζωντανός μύθος πολιτισμών, που στήριξαν πάνω τους θρύλους,
παραδόσεις, θρησκευτικές τελετουργίες, προκαλεί το χρόνο στο διηνεκές.
Ιερό δέντρο όλων των μονοθείστικών θρησκειών της Μεσογείου έχει μια ιδιαίτερη σχέση με
τη χώρα μας.

In the sun-drenched Greek landscape, beneath the azure of the heavens, the olive, tireless,
reflective and dependable, weaves the past with the present, giving itself its own shape and
changing it like Proteus of myth. It is not eternal, but it is immortal in our hearts.
Adornment of the Greek earth, a living myth of cultures which have based their legends,
traditions and religious rites upon it, it challenges time in perpetuity.
A sacred tree for all monotheistic religions of the Mediterranean, it has a special relationship
with Greece.

42 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing these beautiful words and photograph. I love Olive trees!!!
    And thanks for suporting my work, it is really important to me. I appreciate it!
    Kisses, bonita!

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  2. Crissant,
    don't even mention this!
    So many hands had fumbled with my computer and maybe I have to look out for my password again.
    You have my sweet kisses!!

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  3. Hallo Monika,
    auch ich habe sie bewundert diese teilweise sehr alten Olivenbäume auf Korfu. Sie haben schon etwas majestätisches,würdevolles an sich.
    Und dann das Öl, gut für Salat und Haut...
    Liebe Grüße aus Berlin,
    Uwe-Jens

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  4. Beautiful olive tree with its branches defying the wind and a charming poem.

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  5. Freue mich, Uwe-Jens, dass du deinen Urlaub auf
    Korfu verbracht hast. Die "gruene Insel", wie wir sie hier nennen, weil sie so viele Blumen
    und Baeume hat..
    Liebe Gruesse aus Athen,
    Monika

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  6. Leovi, thank you for these words.

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  7. Monika,

    A beautiful tree against a crisp blue sky - I love it! The strong and inspired words fit perfectly with the photo.

    I hope your week has been going well. Healing and walking?

    Take good care,
    Brian

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  8. Honestly, I thought an Olive tree is a small plant. Thanks !

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  9. Hi Brian,
    yes, little by little. Every week going twice for
    physiotherapy.
    Thank you for your lovely words.
    Have a very good week,
    Monika

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  10. Wong,
    the olive tree comes into different shapes.
    It is very interesting watching this!

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  11. Πολύ όμορφη!
    Μια καλησπέρα από μένα
    Καλό μήνα νομίζω πως σου είπα!
    Φιλιά πολλά

    D.Angel

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  12. Olive trees and olives are mentioned many times in the bible---the tree and fruit and its oil have been important for many thousands of years. The tree is a beautiful part of nature, just as you are.

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  13. D. Angel,
    Αγγελα, οχι το ξέχασες, παιδί μου...
    Καλό μήνα!!
    Φιλιά

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  14. Thank you, Clint,
    for so many years, living in this country, I
    adore this tree and its colour.
    The olive tree is so very calming and I have
    never seen one similarly with the other!

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  15. Beautiful photo. I like the phrase "with the wrinkles of our forefathers"

    Glad to hear you are on the mend Monika!

    Cheers Elizabeth

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  16. Hi Elizabeth,
    I had to look at my dictionary to find the meaning, that I am on the mend..
    Yes dear, I am feeling much better.
    Cheers (are you drinking there? Without me??).
    Monika

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  17. Monika, thank you for your very sweet comments on my blogs, The Absinthe Theatre and Cindy Ellison. I apologize for not joining your blog sooner, I did not scroll to the end to see the followers section.

    I liked the work of Kevin Carter, too. So sad to think he must not have reached out to anyone for help.

    Take care ... thanks again.

    Cindy

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  18. Dear Monika - so good to hear you are feeling better. We humans can learn a lot from trees - they are so much wiser than we are! To be in the presence of a good old tree like the olive, with such history and mythology connected to it, is a wonderful thing! Thanks for your words and image and keep on healing!

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  19. Hello Cindy - you are so right, about Kevin Carter. For days I was reading about his life.
    And every day now, when I see his name next to
    my photos I think how meaningless life can turn
    out sometimes..
    Take care too,
    Monika

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  20. Gabriella
    I can say, that the old bones are healing, haha..
    There is something strange about olive trees.
    They have all another shape. But this depends on
    the wind, the weather and their age etc.
    Thank you!

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  21. Great poem and photo!
    Love it Monika!
    What a great post! Thanks for sharing it!! :)

    Hugs!
    B xx

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  22. Great shot of the olive tree Monika - brings back memories of our recent trip to Rhodes; the villa we rented was in the midst of an olive grove ! I posted a shot of a few olive trees there. I also made a few photos of very old olive trees - incredible !

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  23. Betty,
    thank you for coming by!
    Hugs

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  24. Rick
    I understand that my post is bringing memories back to you of your journey to Rhodes..
    Can it also bring back in your mind the sound
    of the cicadas?

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  25. υπέροχο δέντρο και για την ομορφιά της και τους καρπούς της. Καλη σου μέρα.

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  26. Very nice monica!!!

    the photo..the poem..everthing sparkels of your beautiful soul..may you have an relaxing evening.Kisses

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  27. όμορφη φωτογραφία, μου αρέσει η διαμόρφωση γίνεται

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  28. Monika - yes, the cicadas !! It took me a while to realize what they were when I first heard them - and that was about the only sound we had there since we were out in the country. on purpose !

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  29. "I am the olive, held in honour"
    ....
    Beautiful!
    Regards!

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  30. Bela fotografia...belo poema...Espectacular...
    Cumprimentos

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  31. mahler76
    Η Ελιά ειναι το αγαπημένο μου δέντρο.
    Για μένα αντιπροσωπέυει την ελληνική φύση.
    Καλημέρα.

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  32. Good morning Anita!
    Yesterday was my first movie night after a long
    time.. I saw the new Woody Allen film. Nothing very special!
    Thank you for your so nice comment!
    Kisses,
    Monika

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  33. Costea,
    hallo dear friend!! A comment in Greek, very good!

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  34. Rick
    I wrote a post only for the cicadas.
    This insect lives only in the very hot month
    and after the summer is gone, I miss their
    song!
    Wish you a very nice day!
    Monika

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  35. Wind -
    "Care for me I will nourish you.
    Water me and I will make you rich".
    Thank you!!

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  36. Fernando Santos,
    thank you for your very good words!!

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  37. Du Beste,

    eine Homage an etwas Urnaürliches - wundervoll...

    herzliche Grüße von
    Rachelako, die dich fest umarmt

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  38. Danke dir, meine liebe Rachelako!!

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  39. liebe Grüße von Jasmin, ein schönes Wochenende für dich meine liebe Monika, schön, daß wir uns in unserer Muttersprache schreiben und auch verstehen können und nicht an allem Geschriebenen oberflächlich vorbei gehen, uns auch Zeit für einander nehmen,liebe Grüße aus der alten Heimat von Jasmin, ich denke Der Ölzweig war das Symbol des Friedens, die um Frieden baten trugen Ölzweige in den Händen, laßt sie verteilen und tragen...

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  40. Jesson Balaoing,
    thank you for stopping by!

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  41. Jasmin
    Deine Worte treffen wieder ganz genau!
    Wie du sagst: der Oelzweig war das Symbol des
    Friedens..
    Der Olivenbaum begegnet mir immer wieder auf
    meinen Wegen durch Griechenland und ist fuer
    mich eins geworden mit diesem Land..
    Danke dir fuer deine Gruesse aus meiner alten
    Heimat!!

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