Live Encounters Poetry & Writing 16th Anniversary Volume Three
November- December 2025
The truth of poetry, poems by Dimitris P. Kraniotis.
The truth of poetry
I went ahead underground
To see the wave
They shouted
That I would drown
But I didn’t listen
With closed eyes
I painted a poem
In the depth of memory
I didn’t want to read it
Silence always told me
Not to be ashamed of the truth
But to write
(Poetry is truth)
The poet’s fear before the penalty kick
Don’t throw crimes
-Without oaths of innocence-
At my tired pencil
I can’t erase
Any more poems
To appear brave
I declare myself terrified
Before the penalty kick
Of the last page
That I must not miss
And you there
Waiting for my defeat
You read essays
About courage
Poems in the opposite direction
Kisses tied
In our mouth
Words
Travel the touch
In the light
Language swims
In bodies
Driving poems
In the opposite direction
Without fearing
Death
Life is dangerous
For poets
© Dimitris P. Kraniotis
Dimitris P. Kraniotis was born in 1966 in Larissa Prefecture in Thessaly (Greece) and grew up in Stomio (Larissa). He studied Medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with MSc in Medicine at the University of Thessaly. He lives in Larissa (Greece) and works as a medical doctor (internal medicine specialist physician). He is the author of 11 poetry books: “Traces” (Greece 1985), “Clay Faces” (Greece 1992), “Fictitious Line” (Greece 2005), “Dunes” (Romania 2007), “Endogram” (Greece 2010), “Edda” (Romania 2010), “Illusions” (Romania 2010), “Leaves Vowels” (Italy 2017), “Tie of Public Decency” (Greece 2018), “Minus one” (Spain 2022) & “Wrinkles in the coffee” (Greece 2024). He is also the Editor-in-chief of the anthology “World Poetry 2011” (205 poets from 65 countries). His poems have been translated into 37 languages & published in many countries. He participated in International Poetry Festivals. He is Doctor of Literature (Litt.D.), Academician, President of the 22nd World Congress of Poets (UPLI), President of the World Poets Society (WPS), Director of the Mediterranean Poetry Festival (Larissa, Greece), Chairman of the Writers for Peace Committee of PEN Greece and member of World Poetry Movement (WPM) and Poets of the Planet (POP).
His official website: https://www.dimitriskraniotis.com/