Hidden

Constantine P. Cavafy 1863 (Alexandria) – 1933 (Alexandria)



From all I've done and all I've said
let them not seek to find who I've been.
An obstacle stood and transformed
my acts and way of my life.
An obstacle stood and stopped me
many a time as I was going to speak.
My most unobserved acts,
and my writitings the most covered --
thence only they will feel me.
But mayhaps it is not worth to spend
this much care and this much effort to know me.
For -- in the more perfect society --
someone else like me created
will certainly appear and freely act.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 22, 2023

30 sec read
62

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCDEFGHEIEEJK
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 488
Words 100
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Constantine P. Cavafy

Constantine P. Cavafy was a Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant. He published 154 poems; dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. His most important poetry was written after his fortieth birthday. more…

All Constantine P. Cavafy poems | Constantine P. Cavafy Books

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    "Hidden" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/7152/hidden>.

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