Elias Kefalas nació en 1951 en Meligos, un pueblo cerca de la ciudad de Trikala (Tesalia, GRECIA). Estudió Ciencias Políticas en Atenas, donde vivió durante 23 años (1969-1992). Ahora vive en su ciudad natal, Meligos.
A menudo contribuye con artículos a revistas literarias y artísticas. Ha aparecido en la radio y, en ocasiones, en programas de televisión. Algunos de sus comentarios sobre autores y textos de la literatura griega moderna se han publicado en las páginas de la revista "Efthini", en el que escribe su propia columna, pero sus puntos de vista sobre la literatura moderna se expresan también en muchas revistas y periódicos. Ha escrito reseñas de libros para las revistas "Tomes", "Nees Tomes", "Diavazo", "Odos Panos".
Obras:
POESÍA
Ta Mastigia (The Whips), 1980
Metallagi sto Aprosdokito (Change into the Unexpected), 1982, 1984
Ta Filla tou Nerou (The Leaves of Water), 1986
Skoteinos Magnetis (Dark Magnet), 1989
To Erimo Lykofos (The Deserted Twilight), 1992
Logos gia tin Aveveotita (On Uncertainty), 1997, 1999
Ta Mnistra tis Abyssou (Remembering the Abyss), 2003
Siopitirio Chioniou (Snow Taps), 2005
ENSAYOS
The Age of Private Dream, 1987
The Sunday of Poets, 1993
Dream Windows, 2000
Nikos Pappas, a Presentation, 2002
NOVELAS
Mesimvrina Daimonia (Noon Demons), 1997
Fasmata tis erimias (Ghosts of Solitude), 1999
Chioni sta Onira (Snow on Dreams), 2001
Choma, Chomata (Earth, Soil), 2007
FICCIÓN PARA NIÑOS
The Magic Trumpet (poem), 2003
Blossomed Little Hearts (novel), 2004
The Greedy Little Pig (fairy tale), 2004
Stories that Must Not be Forgotten (fairy tales), 2004
ANTOLOGÍAS
Anthology of Modern Poetry/ The decade of 1980/ The Private Dream, 1989
Vértigo
En tus ojos se ahogan las aves.
Se estancan las aguas de lejanas lluvias
y se dejan arrastras las canciones
de extenuados recuerdos.
En tus ojos tiritan bosques
zozobrados.
Extraños aromas se suspenden en el aire
y el profundo murmullo del náufrago
que te busca
resuena de hoja en hoja.
A tus ojos me encaramo
como caminante de la noche
manteniendo la respiración.
Completamente solo, desnudo y sin techo.
Asustado
en tus vertiginosos vacíos.
Por eso no me conoces
y no te encuentras conmigo
nunca.
HAIKUS
Toca la noche
como una campanilla desierta.
¿A quién estás esperando?
Arbustos oscuros
El aire con horror
golpea las raíces
Silencios de las aguas
envenenan los árboles.
Noches de los otros.
¿Qué negrura
voraz de lo inconcebible
sorbe el mundo?
[Traducción de Charalampos Dimos]
THE SOLDIER
The young soldier is reading
A letter from his sweetheart
Sat on the ground like a silent bird
With the smile of a god at peace
A ravine between his eyes
Dripping salt
And fingers plucking harp strings
Without cease
Up flies his beret and settles
On a pole
Out of his pockets come fags
Matches comb mirror
And a drachma note
(Trad. Yannis Goumas)
ΚUDOS magazine
DREAMS
No, I can do without dreams, murmured my father. Because even in dreams I am unhappy. Even in dreams I feel tired. Besides, dreams are like flowers. With choise earth and regular watering, they blossom and flash in the garden. But lackihg earth and water, what garden can grow? Hence, from our poisoned lives, what pleasant dream can blossom? No, I can do without dreams, stated my father, in his endeavour to get rid of life' s nightmares.
SILENCE
What a deafening void dead silence forms. I beg, beg, for a few secret whispers, a hint of rustling yellow leaves, a far-off breathe its last on me, sending shivers down my back.
AGAIN SILENCE
I know her window is open, and that the wind is caressing her. Silence that extends. Even as far as here I her shawl waving. And the silk of her stockings creaks, as though a predator has grasped her two legs and is squeezing them. I rub my hands that the crust of silence might crack, for if she calls for help, only I shall hear.
(Trad. Yannis Goumas)
MY FALL
The things that are born inside us
Are in a hurry to go
Only their anger lingers on
Eating silence and love away
I have found my life as I left it
One evening of summer
Since then I have borrowed sensations
To be conscious of my fall
(Trad. Georges Thaniel)
10 HAIKU
1
The bright morning dew.
Forgotten moon.
Is it Monday?
2
The silence of water
drugs the trees.
Others' nights.
3
Of all the nights
Which one do we know?
The last one.
4
I write again
the minus of absence
in the black pane.
5
Depression with the rain.
Complaints when it snows.
Torments everywhere.
6
Why do you hesitate?
Let it rain and snow
don't let it stop you.
7
"If everyone leaves me
with whom will I be withthem?"
Wonders the poplar.
8
The sleeping earth.
The stream with frogs.
Nothing else.
9
Wise grasshopper
teach me again
haw to be patient.
10
I went out into the street
with a broken umbrella
looking for you.