To the rhythm of Kyriakos Charalambides' Dionysus: to the 'pulse of life'

Kyriakos Charalambides' references to primeval myth, vivid images and eloquent linguistic choices aim to renew things in a magical way. This article focuses, first, on showing the richness of the vocabulary of the erudite poet and on exploring how the poem Dionysus is framed by carefully chosen words that create striking images which mark the rhythmic character of the poem. Second, this article sheds light on intertextual connections. These semantic bridges take the reader on an intertextual stroll where the most unexpected encounters with poetic forefathers transpire: there are intertextual references to Aristophanes, more specifically his play The Birds, to Dionysios Solomos and also to the concept of the "idea that rises steeply" and whose "rings gradually ripple outwards" (Politis 1961: 208) that is none other than Poetry. Concurrently, the sounds that can be heard bring to mind the Dionysian throb, the frenzied dance, the exhilaration. Moreover, Dionysus constituted a hymn to the joy of living. And it is precisely this that the poet wants to make manifest through the symbolism of Dionysus: 'the pulse of life'.