Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1921. Studied Classics and Law in the University of Athens, English literature at London University, and followed courses of Mycenian Grammar with Michel Lejeune. at the Ecoles des Hautes Etudes of the Sorbonne. From 1944-1953, in London translated and presented, Modernist Greek poets of the thirties for the first time more completely, (article in Cyril Connolly's "Horizon" 1946 & translations John Lehmann's "New Writing" 1944-48. Edited and translated " The King of Asine" 1948 a selection of poems by George Seferis with Bernard Spencer and Lawrence Durrel. Introduction by Rex Warner). Met T.S. Eliot, Stephen Spender, W.H. Auden, Dylan Thomas, worked for Louis MacNeice in the BBC,and frequented many other poets and writers. In 1954, moved to Paris, met Andre Breton, and participated in the activities and meetings of his Surrealist group until 1960. Returned to Greece, in 1960 and edited the avantgarde review "Pali" 1963-1967. Left Greece in 1968, after the Junta came to power in 1967. Taught at San Francisco State University, Creative Writing and Comparative Literature. Returned to Paris and Greece in 1976-78, on leave. Resumed teaching at SFSU 1978 until 1993, when he retired. Co-edited in Greece the literary review "Synteleia" (End of Time), with poet Andreas Pagoulatos. Wrote a number of books of poetic proses, a novella, and four novels. Among them "My afterlife Guaranteed" in English, City Lights 1990, and in Greek 1995. Shares his time in Greece, France and California. Married to American Surrealist painter Marie Wilson.
Poetry: Verse: The Punishment of the Magi (1947), Central Arcade (1958), (State Prize 1959; refused), Anonymous Poem, (1974, 1978), Nests of Microbes 1977, Hero of the Accidental, 1979, Feathery Confession, 1982, Poems, I & II, (collected), 1983, 1987, The Bottom Line, 1984, The Coloured Stylograph, 1986, Anideograms, 1996, Sun , Executioner of a Green Thought. 1996, Allegorical Kassandra, 1998. Descent of the M. 2002, Alphabet of the deaf mute Angyra, 2003
Forthcoming: Pandemonium, Philos press, Pandora's Box, I.& II,
Tropology of the Undisguised. Homer and the Alphabet, For a Theory of Writing II.
Proses: Traitor of the Written Word, Ikaros, prose 1980, Diamond Tranquilliser prose Tram1981, Some Women Themelio 1982, (State Poetry Prize). Bones of the Greeks, novel 1982, Themelio The Assassination, 1984, novella Themelio,The Treasure of Xerxes ,novel Hestia,1984, The Talking Monkey Aigokairos, 1986, Paramythology (Three collected prose texts titles) Nefeli,1996. God's Dog, narratives Kastaniotis1998. The Broken Arms of the Venus de Milo, novel. Agra, 2002
Essays: Andreas Embirikos 1988. Ypsilon, F or a Theory of writing Exantas 1990. Modernism, the Avantgarde and Pali, Kastaniotis 1997. (State prize for Memoir)
English poetry: Hired Hieroglyphs,1970, Kayak, Diplomatic Relations, Panjandrum 1071, Flash Bloom 1980, Wire Press, My Aftelife Guaranteed City Lights 1990.
French poetry: Mon Certificat d' Eternite, Digraphe 1996, Executeur d' une Pensee Verte, 1998, L'Harmattan
Translations, editing: Anthology of Modern Greek Poetry, with Thanassis Maskaleris, Allegro Shartz & others.
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