This poetry collection is a lyrical record of life in the small village of Sklithron (Zeleniche) in Western Macedonia (Greece), and of the journey of emigration to an adopted homeland, Canada. Through memory, place, and longing, these poems honour the people and everyday moments that shaped a generation.
Written by Kosmas Yotis, this collection preserves the voice of village life and the experience of leaving home—carrying the past forward while building a new life abroad.
PROLOGUE
The poems within this website
Aim to capture memories
They create a moment in time
And instill a sense of nostalgia
Those written to remind us
Of other eras
Old friends, old neighbourhoods
And forgotten feelings
To make us laugh and to make us cry
And to shout with joy
This book is also
A reminder of the fact
That when we were growing up
Many of the stories we heard
Were something more than stories
They were lived experiences
From our families
Experiences that shaped
Not only their values
But also their character
As well as
These poems will be
Stories and experiences
That will pass on to the next generation
And help strengthen
The enduring bond Between grandparent and grandchild
| # | Poem Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | My Village |
| 2 | We Arrived in Canada |
| 3 | As soon as I collect three thousand |
| 4 | The walk |
| 5 | The man and his dog |
| 6 | The horse returned without the rider |
| 7 | Gradista Came Tumbling Down |
| 8 | Innocent victims of war |
| 9 | Civil War |
| 10 | Civil War Part Two |
| 11 | The refugees |
| 12 | The return to the village |
| 13 | 1950s |
| 14 | The village wells |
| 15 | Before darkness falls |
| 16 | September 1947 Sklithro |
| 17 | The little lights |
| 18 | The sausages |
| 19 | Sacrifice of a sister |
| 20 | Biography of an orphan |
| 21 | The American |
| 22 | But she didn’t know how to make this pie (Zelnik) |
| 23 | The fiancé |
| 24 | Babo Geraka the midwife 1881-1957 |
| 25 | Friends came to see me. |
| 26 | Four friends from the village |
| 27 | On top of the monuments |
| 28 | FREE THOUGHT |
| 29 | Summary of our life in Canada |
| 30 | Our first RESTAURANT |
| 31 | Our children |
| 32 | The old people |
| 33 | I ask the moon one night |
| 34 | My old village |
| 35 | Two brothers from Canada |
| 36 | Not even for the freight |
| 37 | Where have you been for so long? |
| 38 | A dream |
| 39 | HERITAGE DAMAGE |
| 40 | As mother grew old |
| 41 | The last goodbye |
| 42 | I saw the one evening |
| 43 | And his body trembles |
| 44 | This temporary life of ours |
| 45 | TWO BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS |
| 46 | When the power goes out |
| 47 | My radiant gardenia |
| 48 | Anthoula’s Dream |
| 49 | ABOUT THE PAST |
| 50 | OUR CHRISTMAS PAST |
| 51 | MY TIN CAN TOY |
| 52 | THE GREAT ESCAPE |
| 53 | THE YOUNG WIZARDS |
| 54 | THE GOOD SHEPHARD |
| 55 | TO THE FATHER |
| 56 | TO THE FATHER |
| 57 | HAPPINESS |
“The poems are meant to capture memories, encapsulate a moment in time and instill a sense of nostalgia. They were written to remind us of days gone by, old friends, old neighbourhoods and forgotten emotions. Remembrance of times that made us laugh, cry and shout out for joy. They are also a reminder of the fact that, when growing up many of the stories were heard were more than just stories; they were experiences lived by our families. Experiences that shaped not only their ideals, but their character as well. It will be these poems, stories, and experiences that will get passed on to the next generation and support a further bond between grandfather and grandchild.” (Steve Yotis)
