Maltese Poets Association meet poet and artist Stephen Morris

Thursday, 2nd October, at 7 p.m., was another successful poetry evening for the Maltese Poets Association. The venue chosen was the Razzett tal-Markiz Mallia Tabone, Mosta, Malta, and this thanks to the Mosta Philantropic and Talent Association and President Joe Bartolo.
MPA's Secretary, Charles Magro, led the evening, while President, Alfred Massa, gave his habitual discourse to those present. Special guest was poet and artist, Stephen Morris, from England (see: www.stephen-morris.com). Vice-President, Patrick Sammut, introduced Morris by reading a short biography. Later, Sammut also interviewed Morris and asked him about the themes he writes about and the poetic forms he uses.






Members of the MPA had more than a chance to read their poetry in both Maltese and English. Stephen Morris read and even acted some of his verse, discussing love, religion and politics.
Those present had the opportunity to see some of the Holocaust paintings of Morris and some examples of visual-poetry, directly from some of his past publications.
Stephen Morris expressed his satisfaction with the way he was greeted by the MPA members, attendance and venue chosen.
Stephen Morris will be meeting sixth form students from De La Salle College next Monday, 6th October, 7 p.m. Those interested are invited to attend.

Intervistat Maurice Mifsud Bonnici

Lil Maurice Mifsud Bonnici nahseb li sirt nafu permezz tal-attivitajiet imtellgha mill-Ghaqda Poeti Malti li taghha ahna t-tnejn membri. Niftakar li kont ktibt studju fuq il-poeziji tieghu li jinsabu fl-antologija poetika tieghu Zoomery, studju li kien deher f'xi gazzetti lokali u mbaghad fil-ktieb tieghi Tieqa fuq kittieba Maltin (2003). Minn dak iz-zmien jiena u Maurice sirna hbieb li nirrisettaw sewwa lil xulxin, minkejja l-generation gap :-) Lil Maurice nammirah ghax huwa bniedem habrieki fejn tidhol kitba u kull jum gdid ghalih huwa jum moghti lilu rigal biex ikompli jikteb.

1.L-Ghanja tal-Limerikki hareg fl-2007, imma jigbor fih limerikki li ktibt fis-snin 2006 u 2007. X'inhu l-limerikk fil-qosor? Ghaliex l-ghazla tal-limerikk min-naha tieghek? Fejn hija s-sahha tal-limerikk?

Il-Limerikk huwa poezija ta' hames versi bir-rimi ta' l-ewwel vers mat-tieni u mal-hames u tat-tielet vers mar-raba'. L-ewwel , it-tieni u l-hames vers huma vrus tad-disgha bi tliet accenti ritmici (trimetri) ta' tliet sillabi kull wiehed, u t-tielet u r-raba' vers huma vrus tas-sitta b'zewg accenti (dimetri) ta' tliet sillabi kull wiehed.
Ghazilt il-limerikk ghax huwa ta' qari hafif, divertenti --- Ghalhekk ma' l-isem tal-ktieb zidt :"intaffu d-dwejjaq", u ghalhekk il-ktieb ghamiltu ta' daqs komdu biex iggorru gol-but biex jekk tkun pererzempju fi kju twil tista' taqrah biex itaffilhek it-tensjoni!
Is-sahha tal-limerikk hija fl-accent ritmiku tat-tliet sillabi u fil-kontenut u r-rima tal-hames vers.

2. Hajkumanija (2008) huwa t-tieni gabra ta' hajku, wara Bushido (2002). Did-darba gbart il-hajku li ktibt bejn l-2002 u l-2007. X'inhu l-hajku fil-qosor? Minn fejn twieldet fik il-hajra li tiktbu? X'tista' tkun is-sahha wara poezija ta' tliet versi biss?

Il-hajku huwa poezija ta' origini Gappuniza, bla rima u tliet vrus tal-5-7-5, semplici b'mhux iktar minn suggett wiehed. Originalment kien jittratta b'certa qawwa suggetti marbuta ma' l-istaguni u n-natura. Biz-zmien gew accettati suggetti marbuta man-natura tal-bniedem u ghalkemm dejjem baqa' bi tliet versi ma baqax rigoruz bis-sillabi tal-5-7-5. Hu perezempju l-Western Haiku huwa rigoruz ghall-qosor tat-tliet versi u ghas-semplicita' tieghu.
Il-hajra li niktbu twieldet fija mill-ktieb ta' Anton Buttigieg: "Il-Muza bil-Kimono" li kien irregalali meta mort nipprezentalu l-ewwel ktieb ta' poeziji tieghi, "In a Nutshell" waqt li kien President tar-Repubblika.
Is-sahha wara l-hajku hija, kif ga ghidt, is-semplicita' tal-kuncett b'enfasi fuq xi aspett originali li jittratta dejjem fil-prezent.

3. Fis-sottotitlu tuza wkoll il-kelma "senrju". X'inhu dan?

Is-senrju huwa forma ta' hajku li jittratta fuq hwejjeg marbuta mal-bniedem biex jikkuntrasta mal-hajku klassiku originali li kien jittratta biss fuq in-natura u l-istaguni. Il-hajku li jien ktibt f'dal-ktieb ihadden fih kemm hajku klassiku u senrju u hallejtha ghall-qarrej biex jaghzel hu liema hu wiehed u liema hu l-iehor.

4. Liema huwa l-waqt adatt meta tikteb il-limerikk, il-hajku u s-senrju?

Il-limerikk tiktbu meta ma tkunx imdejjaq u l-hajku u s-senrju meta tkun hosbien.

5. Skond inti, ghaliex il-pubbliku ghandu jixtri zewg kotba bhal dawn? X'jista' jiehu minnhom?

Dawn iz-zewg kotba joffru qari hafif li ma jistrapazzax il-mohh. It-tnejn iqajmu l-interess waqt il-qari taghhom u ghalhekk jaghtu cans lill-mohh jimrah fl-ispazju bla xkiel... biex nghid hekk. Barra minn hekk, kemm fil-
hajku u kemm fil-limerikk, wiehed jista' jikseb taghlima li tolqtu fil-laham il-haj.

6. F'dawn l-ahhar zewg pubblikazzjonijiet tieghek ghazilt format zghir, li jista' letteralment jidhol fil-but. Ghaliex dan?

Jien ghazilt li nippubblika dal-ktieb tal-hajku f'forma zghira bhal dak tal-limerikki ghall-istess ragunijiet li tajt ghall-ktieb tal-limerikki.

7. Ghaliex il-poeta jhoss il-htiega li jippubblika l-versi tieghu anki jekk jaf li diehel f'bosta sagrificcji finanzjarji biex fl-ahhar ibiegh ftit kopji?

Meta bdejt nikteb il-poeziji sa minn meta kelli hmistax il-sena qatt ma kont nahseb li qed niktibhom biex nippubblikahom. Kont niktibhom
ghalija. Kien habib tieghi Ingliz, Ken Roscoe, li kebbes fija l-hajra li nippubblikahom. Dan kien Editur tal-famuz magazin "Look and Learn" u meta gie l-ufficcju biex ikellimni ghall-habta tat-tmiem tas-sebghinijiet, qabel dahal fejni s-segretarja tieghi, dak iz-zmien Maria Mallia, urietu l-poeziji tieghi li kienet tittajpjali. Dan tant ghogbuh li wara li ha ftit minnhom mieghu d-dar f'San Pawl il-Bahar u flihom gie lura u qalli li kien se jghaddi kopja taghhom lil habib tieghu f'Londra. Fi ftit kliem hafna minn dawn il-poeziji sabu ruhhom ippubblikati f'Londra fi ktieb li jien semmejt "In a Nutshell". Minn hemm bdiet il-hajra li nippubblikahom. Jien la ghandi l-wicc u wisq anqas iz-zmien biex noqghod infittex pubblikatur. Jien m'ghandix kapricci ohra u nghix hajja semplici u ghalhekk nista' nerfa' dan l-uniku kapricc tal-pubbikazzjonijiet. Il-bejgh ma jaghtinix gewwa, anzi dawn l-ahhar snin nistqarr nghid li qed jaghmilli kuragg.

8. Il-kitba u bniedem bhalek ta' 82 sena. X'tip ta' relazzjoni hemm bejnietkom?

Ir-relazzjoni ta' bniedem ta' l-eta' tieghi ta 82 senu mal-kitba tieghi hija wahda intima u ta' fiducja kbira f'xulxin!

Patrick Sammut (Sett. 2008)