Ek kom vangoggend weer af op hierdie pragtige gedig van Yannis Ritsos en dit laat my diep dink oor my eie waarde. Word ek minder as wat ek is in die lelike dinge van elke dag?

I’m not listening to you—he says—

I find the hill beautiful

the tree beautiful

the shadow of birds on the grass

and myself beautiful—he says—

in the water

or in the mirror

whatever you say

my part isn’t diminished

in the river or in a rose.

Yannis Ritsos from The Shadows of Birds (1980)