YIORGOS MICHAEL
words, they stick

The selection is from a project based on my poem "words, they stick." The images are of interior spaces found while traveling.

words, they stick
Words, they stick on the skin; they mark it.
They scar the lining of the stomach; they melt it.
They injure the face; they scar it.

They called me names.
Names that made me depressed, suicidal.
They made me run away, hide.
I keeping running away and hiding.
Those words planted the belief that I deserved (deserve) aloneness.
They made (make) me seek encounters.
Encounters, temporary, that depleted (deplete) my inside, over and over,
till there was (is) nothing left in the inside.

And my life, I have spent it trying not to be what they called me.
My life, I have devoted it to becoming perfect so none could judge me.
But I failed (failing).

All this pain—for what?

Author
Yiorgos Michael is a visual artist and poet based in both Miami and Cyprus. His work consists of photographic essays inspired by personal experiences and deal with themes like aging, identity, and social norms. These narratives fuse deliberately captured images with moments of serendipity, allowing unexpected elements to enhance the storytelling with surprise and discovery. This blend of intentional and spontaneous imagery juxtaposes the representational with the abstract, and the real with the mythical. The result is a compelling tension between ambiguity and clarity, drawing viewers into a deeper engagement with each narrative. The tension between the real and surreal is palpable in his poetry, where again personal experiences are woven into themes of aging, loneliness, loss, love, and hope. A distinctive feature of his literally work is the interplay between Greek, his native language, and English, adding layers of richness and complexity to his themes.

Website
https://www.ymkollective.com/

Instagram
@ymkollective

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