Dimitris Theophani Lipertis (; 1866–1937) was a

Greek Cypriot Greek Cypriots or Cypriot Greeks ( el, Ελληνοκύπριοι, Ellinokýprioi, tr, Kıbrıs Rumları) are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community. According to the 2011 census, 659,115 r ...

poet.

Biography

Lipertis was born in

Larnaca Larnaca ( el, Λάρνακα ; tr, Larnaka) is a city on the south east coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district of the same name. It is the third-largest city in the country, after Nicosia and Limassol, with a metro population of 1 ...

in 1866 (exact date disputed–either 22 September or 26 October). His father, Theofanis Lipertis hailed from Kyrenia, but moved to Larnaca where he set up a trading company. His mother was Kokonou Modinos. He obtained his basic education from various literary figures of Larnaca. He then furthered his studies in Beirut (from 1880–1884) where he studied languages at the American University of Beirut and the Jesuit

Université Saint-Joseph Saint Joseph University of Beirut ( French: ''Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth'', abbreviated to and commonly known as "USJ") is a private Catholic research university located in Beirut, Lebanon, which was founded in 1875 by French Jes ...

specializing in English and French. On his return to Cyprus, he first took up a clerical post (1885–1890) at Larnaca legal courts. For the next decade he worked in various governmental departments such as payroll officer in the public works department, inspector of vineyard diseases, coastguard official etc. Through his various jobs he came into contact with the Cypriot countryside and its genuine inhabitants, along with getting to know the various dialects spoken in the different regions of Cyprus. In 1900 he left Cyprus for Naples where he studied philosophy and then to Athens for theology studies. He also traveled to Egypt in search of employment. On his return he began working as a teacher in the capital Nicosia. He first worked at the

Pancyprian Gymnasium The Pancyprian Gymnasium (Greek: Παγκύπριον Γυμνάσιον) is the oldest still operational high school in Cyprus, founded in 1812. History In the same location as the current school there was an older school established in 1753 kn ...

from 1910–1912 as a French language teacher and then at The English School. He also served as the first headmaster of the ''Mitsis commercial academy'' in the village of Lemythou. Lipertis died in Nicosia in 1937. In 1978, his portrait was depicted on one of two stamps in a commemorative issue themed on Cypriot poets. The other stamp depicted Vasilis Michaelides. Outside the theater of the Municipality of Strovolos, his bust is decorating the entrance on the left while the bust of Vasilis Michaelides stands on the right side.

Works

He wrote and published some poetry in

katharevousa Katharevousa ( el, Καθαρεύουσα, , literally "purifying anguage) is a conservative form of the Modern Greek language conceived in the late 18th century as both a literary language and a compromise between Ancient Greek and the contempor ...

but the main body of his work is in the Cypriot Dialect. Some of his poems have been set to music by Cypriot composer Achilleas Lymbouridis and Greek composer Dimitris Layios. He is considered as one of the most prominent modern Cypriot poets and has been the theme of stamps issued by the Cyprus Post Office. He published 3 collections of poems: * 1891 - The relaxed harp ''(Halaromeni Lira - Χαλαρωμένη Λύρα)'' * 1898 - Stoni ''(Στόνοι)'' * 1923 - The Cypriot Songs ''(Tzipriotika Tragoudia - Τζ'υπριώτικα Τραούδκια)'' In addition his private letters to various people were characterized by a vivid and intelligent content with clever humor and literary merit.

External links

Cyprus Stamp Issue: Cypriot Poets: Demetrios Libertis and Vasilis Michaelides
1866 births 1937 deaths Greek Cypriot poets People from Larnaca {{Cyprus-poet-stub