There were activists who, although they went through fire and iron, never hated or sought revenge. They drank the bitter cup of defeat, the hemlock of persecution, but they showed understanding and even compassion for their opponent. They had a heart like a great sea and were able to wash away the misdeeds of their persecutors within it. This is why they earned recognition and respect from both friends and "enemies". One such activist was Michalis Liaroutsos.

A man who embodied the ethos and values of a communist through his way of life. […] I have never denied you, my beloved youth of life. And the more I go on, the more rooted I feel with you. No joy can surpass the sharp taste of your anguish, your sacrifice for something better. Mission! What more can the heart desire? Happy that I am condemned to live inflamed by your fire.

Michalis Liaroutsos. Conclusion of his poem "I have never denied you" from his poetry collection "from the FIRST HOUR to the NINTH".