Maltese Poets Association poetry published in Italy

Three of the Maltese Poets Association members have had their poetry in Italian published on Italian site www.larioinpoesia.blogspot.com The three members are Alfred Palma, Rita Debono and Therese Pace (who has sent also the Maltese version of her poem). Comments from our Italian neighbours were very positive. The person behind www.larioinpoesia.blogspot.com, Luciana Bianchi Cavalleri, was very happy to publish the Maltese poems on her site and expressed her wish to pubish a book about the lake of Como comprising poems from all over the world and in different lannguages.

See also www.comoinpoesia.com

More Poetry Evenings by the MPA

The poets and members of the Maltese Poets Association who

took part in the Hal Ghaxaq Evening

The Maltese Poets Association has organized yet another two poetry evenings. The first one happened in the Primary School of Hal Ghaxaq on the 29th of August 2008, in collaboration with the Local Counsil and the Head of the school. The poems read were all dedicated to Our Lady and the evening was accompanied by the music of the Ghaxaq Folk Ensemble. Young Gozitan singer, Nadia Muscat, sang Ghanja, written by young poet from Gozo and member of MPA, Robert Gatt. A big thanks to Amanda Busuttil (who was the mind behind the idea of the evening) and Charles Magro, secretary of the MPA (who presented the evening). Patrick Sammut read a short study about the presence of Our Lady in Maltese Poetry.

People present at the evening in Sliema - Lino Grech (first row, left) and President of the MPA, Alfred Massa (first row, second from left).

On 12th September the MPA organized another evening, this time in Sliema at the Don Bosco Hall. On this occasion member Lino Grech launched his three new books (Hajja ta' Bniedem, Gherf il-Bniedem and Non Omnis Moriar), short stories and poems. The evening was presented by secretary Charles Magro, and singer and musician Walter Micallef played some of his best pieces. President, Alfred Massa, insisted on the importance of the MPA to help her members in the publication and diffusion of their poetry. Members of the MPA read a number of poems and parts of Lino Grech's short stories. Patrick Sammut gave a short speech about Lino Grech's poetry and prose in these three new books. Those present were treated to a reception after the evening.

A poem from Raymond Grech

The following is a poem written by my friend and member of the Maltese Poets Association, Raymond Grech. He is also a member of the International Society of Poets and of the World Poets Society. Grech won various national and international prizes thanks to his poetry.
Tas-Sliema is a poem dedicated to one of the largest cities in Malta. Grech manages to show his love towards his city by giving a look at its history, and at the same time insists on its important link with Our Lady. This poem was published on the occasion of the 2008 Feast in collaboration with the Philharmonic Society Stella Maris: http://www.stellamarissliema.com/
Raymond Grech keeps the Maltese Poets Association's website alive and kicking: http://www.ghpm.netfirms.com/

Tas-Sliema
“Celer Ad Oras Surgo”

Inti gawhra oh belt Sliema tal-Qortin
bil-kalanki w bl-ibhra kohol idawruk.
Sew hafifa titla’ tigri fuq ix-xtut
tibqa’ tielgha sa fuq l-gholja fejn sawruk.

Fuq il-blajjet int mibnija minghajr swar
bejn il-bajja tal-Balluta w Marsamxett.
Jghassuk sewwa hemm it-Torri San Giljan
Forti Sliema w Forti Tigne` quddiem nett.

Qalet Lembi bil-kanuni w bil-bastjun,
bil-fossati u t-truncieri dwar ix-xatt.
Il-lanterna fuq il-Ponta thammar fiss.
Matul zmienek hadd ma rebhek qatt u qatt.

Sa Dragut ipprova jahtfek bil-qawwiet
sabiex jahbat ghal Sant’Jermu kollu nar;
sab ir-rieda w l-qlubija tistennieh
fuq il-Ponta tilef hajtu il-kursar.

Bhal minn dejjem ghadu jahbat il-Grigal
b’dawk il-halel joghla u jofrogh kollu nkwiet
izda blatek hija soda tax-Xale`,
hemm jixxejjen sakemm jitlaq jibqa’ kwiet.

Fuq l-gherien tad-Dud u l-Lembi tilqa’ n-nies
dik il-wesgha kollha ghaxqa ghal hargiet,
nies tal-qedem kienu jghammru fid-dahliet
u fl-inhawi int biss tafhom dal-grajjiet.

Sellmu s-sajjieda ’l Marija fuq l-gholja
u tnissel ismek sabih ghal ghomrok dwiem.
Uliedek Slimizi minn kull xatt taw sehem
hekk minn xaghri bnewk belt kbira kollok sliem.

Raymond Grech
18 ta’ Marzu 2004