12/05/2019 Poem of the Day: Ithaca | Poem of the Month

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Poem of the Day: Ithaca

05/03/2007 by Cosmographia Books

Ithaca

When you start on your journey to Ithaca,

then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclopes and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians,
the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.

That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.

To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is be er to let it last for long years;

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and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,

rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.

Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithacas mean.

-K. P. Kavafis (C. P. Cavafy), translation by Rae Dalven

Here is wonderful video (h ps://ninaalvarez.net/2008/08/09/poem-video-of-the-day-ithaca/)

accompanying a reading of “Ithaca” by Sean Connery.

Posted in ithaca, kavafis, poem, poem of the day, poet, poetry | 46 Comments

46 Responses

Enrique on 05/10/2008 at 8:31 pm

Great poem… fits the situation I’m about to live. Thanks.

kate on 05/14/2008 at 10:21 am

wonerful wonderful wonderful!! thank you my Dad discovered this poem and told me
about it, it has spoken so strongly to us and some others too.

shlomi on 07/14/2008 at 5:43 pm

This poem as been leading me for many years, I tend to forget it, and it keeps on appearing
at different steps in my life, travels, studies and experience. and again and again I keep on
ge ing Inspired by it.

Karl on 08/09/2008 at 12:47 am

A great reading of this poem by Sean Connery.

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Ithaca by C.P.Cavafy (with Sean Connery & Vangelis)

Poem-Video of the Day: Ithaca « Nina Alvarez on 08/09/2008 at 7:47 am

[…] The link to the original posting. […]

Robert on 12/26/2008 at 9:37 pm

Very Nice Poem!

I would like to invite you to post a poem on my website which is

h p://www.poetryfreedom.com

I would really appreciate it!

phantomcity on 12/27/2008 at 1:39 pm

Would love to Robert! Will be in touch.

Happy holidays!
Nina

Sunny on 01/02/2009 at 3:07 pm

It is a very beautiful poem! Its beautiful verses, and phrases carry out the meaning of life-
searching that we all face, in our time, and leads us to a sincere, winding path which will
bring us greatest treasures of life!

It reminds me that we are not alone, on the jounery to Ithaca…each of us will be meeting many of
others on the way, to share the joy, the pain and the pleasure of life; the wisdom and experiences,
and then, to rest in peace in the final reaching of serene Ithaca.

Very enjoy it, thank you!

Bis on 01/24/2009 at 3:40 pm

Every time I read this poem I get more and more emotional because I understand it be er
each time as I become more experienced in life. The poem is a thread connecting us to
everything around us, before us and after us – it is an invitation to explore and to learn

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and to celebrate the diversity of experience. To me it also speaks of the glory of the ancient world,
of those pioneers in thought and action who undaunted by the perils of nature and society carried
the torch of human self knowledge to the corners of the known world.

phantomcity on 04/01/2009 at 10:05 pm

I love all your comments and all the great a ention this poem has received on this website.
And I, too, understand it be er and be er with each reading.

Allie on 04/13/2009 at 8:35 am

Did you all remember that Jackie Onassis had a reading of this beautiful poem at her
funeral services?

Natasa on 06/15/2009 at 10:21 am

please, can you tell me who is the author of this poem?

phantomcity on 06/26/2009 at 4:29 pm

It says it at the bo om of the poem.

Staci on 09/06/2009 at 2:59 pm

I first read this poem when I was in 7th grade. I loved it then, but never truly understood
why. I am now 25 and I try to read it several times a year. It is just the most insightful and
beautiful poem one could read.

Katina on 10/17/2009 at 7:34 pm

This is one of my favorite poems as well.

Full of symbols and wisdom, very insightful.

Your thoughts are your prayers, Kavafi means.

Take fear out of your life.
Face what ever comes your way head on.
Live each moment by being present, without le ing your thoughts and fears take over.
That way you enjoy all your experiences”good” and “bad” and you reach your “Ithaca” satisfied
with life and very wise.

All the translations I have read are great, but the original poem in the Greek language is dynamic.
Am I prejudiced? Maybe but I don’t think so

Fynda Fillie-Faboe on 11/20/2009 at 10:49 pm

Absolutely, my favorite poem thus far. I am currently reading poems by Cavafy but I have
yet to read one that has a mesmerizing effect on me like Ithaca!

Cheryl on 12/10/2010 at 11:22 pm

My favorite poem. EVER.

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Page not found « Nina Alvarez on 12/26/2010 at 5:18 am

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Yvonne Byron on 09/07/2012 at 11:40 pm

Strange but I seem to remember that at John Kennedy’s Funeral Service the poem
“Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson was read. I wonder if “Ithaca” appealed to Jacquie
and wanted it read at her own Memorial Service. ?

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chaseerwin on 02/20/2014 at 6:49 pm

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Academic Read #4: Gonzaga is YOUR Ithaca « Orientation on 06/05/2014 at 1:18 pm

[…] -K. P. Kavafis (C. P. Cavafy), translation by Rae Dalven To read the full poem, click here. […]

A Voyage Like No Other | Hammer Residences, Inc. on 07/25/2014 at 1:25 pm

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12/05/2019 Poem of the Day: Ithaca | Poem of the Month

[…] closing this ramblin’ Rosemary tome, these lines from my favorite poem “Ithaca,” seem to
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Mahendran on 07/27/2014 at 11:45 am

Great piece on enjoying the presence in the present, with the objective remain intact.

mmartin on 11/23/2014 at 6:16 pm

I love that poem so much. It opens new meaning every time I read it.,

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the best part of the story. Yes, the warrior’s calling is exciting. The moment of realization,
that mission to complete, gives you a burst of energy. And the promise of the happily ever after
keeps us going. But we all know where the true tale is. The place in the middle. It reminds me of
the classical poem, Ithaca. […]

alexandraspin on 04/22/2015 at 5:46 am

Cavafy is uncomparable.

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Mark Gerald Schulz on 06/16/2016 at 2:46 pm

Aesop: ‘Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.’

theshlaay on 08/25/2016 at 7:58 pm

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I transcribed this into a card for my boyfriend’s li le brother after their mom died. He was
fifteen at the time.

Nina Alvarez on 09/06/2016 at 7:51 pm

Thank you for sharing this story with us.

Kate4grace on 09/08/2016 at 4:33 am

Reblogged this on How my heart speaks.

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blog (h ps://ninaalvarez.net/2007/05/03/poem-of-the-day-49/), so I gratefully re-post the poem
“Ithaca” below. Read it carefully, for it is an invocation […]

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