George Kalogeris, known for his poetry reflecting his Greek American upbringing, presents a unique trilogy. The initial volume, Guide to Greece, draws inspiration from Pausanias and his guides to mainland Hellas. The titular poem “Guide to Greece” inquires if the ancient has encountered the speaker’s aging parents on his travels. Winthropos follows, intertwining antiquity with the present. The title, a play on words by Kalogeris’ father on Winthrop, Massachusetts, creates the name Winthropos, reminiscent of Anthropos—the Sphinx’s riddle solution.
Kalogeris uncovers poetry in the blue-collar city of his youth. The poem “Speech Class” suggests that “It was poetry that made me late—for my life.” Settings in New England such as the kitchen, classroom, family store, cemetery, hospital, and beach offer unique insights into both modern and ancient Greek history. Mythological hues and flavors imbue the foods from Kalogeris’ childhood. The obsession with food extends from Guide to Greece‘s mentions of basil, filo, and wheat to “Honey,” a blend of fascination and calculation:
Determining the quantity of honeycombs required
To fill a gallon jar of meli.
Enough to illuminate two beehives. As though
Ákovos’ honeybees had traveled
To Wínthropos.
The Greek accented “Wínthropos” mirrors the Greek village Ákovos. Besides honey, two cousins from Ákovos reach Boston hospitals—a boy with a broken arm and later, an adult battling cancer. Kalogeris delves into painful memories effectively. Unconventional meters and rhymes encapsulate the past as it solidifies and dissolves, wounds and heals.
Some experiences fade, others vanish with distance, and some transform with age. The personas in these poems also mourn the loss of real or imagined figures. For instance, a relative “as old as” the ancient sea man from Greek myth now strolls the beach with the boy in “Proteus in Winthrop”:
I gesture towards the islands and speak the single
Word I always recall saying to him: Elláda.
His term for home. He acknowledges by the waves.
In a week, he’s no longer here. But then he’s the waves.
The poem, akin to Proteus’ ever-changing form, oscillates between Greek and English. Notably, Kalogeris has translated works of George Seferis and C. P. Cavafy, and their influences linger in this latest collection, exemplified by a touching English rendition of Cavafy’s “The Horses of Achilles.”
Beyond deceased poets and their inspirations, other guides shape the poet. His Greek uncles push towards marriage, an Athens language teacher emphasizes pronunciation, and an English teacher, Mrs. Segal, focuses on enunciation in “basement stalls where the dumb kids went.” Kalogeris reflects on his youth, navigating cross-cultural expectations. Through lyricism, he reimagines growing up Greek in America, connecting with his roots and traumas to find belonging through experience.
Those intrigued by English poetry with Greek themes, or fans of poets like Adrienne Kalfopoulou, Stephanos Papadapoulos, and A. E. Stallings, will appreciate Winthropos. Its poignant exploration of loss and yearning leaves a lasting impact. These poems on “Greekness” prompt reflection on the various facets of self-definition.
