Early life and education Nikos Kavvadias

the statue of poet nikos kavvadias in argostoli, kefalonia.

kavvadias born in nikolsk-ussuriysky (now ussuriysk in primorsky krai region of russia). believed had established permanent connection between him , far east wrote in 1 of short stories titled li . parents greek, originating island of cefalonia , young child had opportunity travel extensively. family returned island of origin few years before moving pireus, athens port, in 1921. wrote first poems while in grammar school.

in 1928, after having graduated high school sat entrance exam medical school father fell sick same year, young kavvadias forced job office clerk in shipping company in order family. lasted few months , after father s death, went on board freighter ship agios nikolaos (saint nicholas) sailor. following years worked on freighter boats, returning home wretched , penniless. @ point aspired train captain settled diploma radio officer instead, got in 1939. time however, world war ii had started , sent fight in albania.

during german occupation of greece, joined national liberation front (eam) , became member of communist party. when war ended in 1944, embarked again , traveled continuously, time radio officer, until november 1974. these experiences @ sea , exotic ports visitited became material poetry. returning last trip , preparing publication of third collection of poems, died stroke on february 10, 1975, after 3 months off sea.

since death, poetry has been popularized in greece, partly because of thanos mikroutsikos released album kavvadias poetry set music in popular albums Σταυρός του Νότου (southern cross) [1979] , Γραμμές των Οριζόντων (horizons lines) [1991].