His family came to Piraeus in 1884 where he finally settled and received his encyclical studies. He enrolled at the Athens Law School but for health reasons (he became seriously ill) he failed to graduate. His real name was Dimitrios Sypsomos. As a young man he devoted himself to poetry and literature and published his poems in the magazine“Stadion” (1894).

He studied foreign poets of the time from original publications, travelled to Paris and London and met poets. He joined the literary circles of Athens (Palamas, Nirvana, etc.) In 1909 he joined the educational group of demoticists. Then he joined the Socialist Democratic Union. In 1912-13 he fought in the Balkan Wars.

He wrote articles and collaborated with the following magazines: Art, Panathenaea, Dionysos, Muse, New Life, Artist, our Magazine. He became very popular especially among young people because of his pessimistic style and melancholy. Many of his poems were translated in France, Germany and England. His first collection of poems was published in 1920 under the title Shadows. After his death, his brother published his unpublished poems, entitledThe Musical Voices, a work that was awarded the National Award of Arts and Letters (1932).

Porphyra was a lonely, melancholic and simple man, he sang of love, the Greek sea and nature. He was remembered and loved for the expression, sweetness and harmony of his lyrics. Porphyra was awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of the Saviour and a medal by the Mayor of Piraeus. He was also honoured with special tributes from literary magazines such as Hestia and Hellenic Creation.

His tomb, in the cemetery of the Resurrection of Piraeus, was created by his cousin, the architect Dimitris Pikionis.