Poesie su Tellusfoglio e sul Foglio Volante

Per vedere tre delle mie poesie in italiano pubblicate su una rivista virtuale italiana premere il seguente: http://www.tellusfolio.it/index.php?prec=%2Findex.php%3Flev%3D132&cmd=v&id=6863

Mille grazie a Paola Mara De Maestri e alla redazione di Tellusfoglio di Morbegno.

Vedi anche: http://amerigoiannacone.wordpress.com/page/2/ E questa volta grazie mille anche ad Amerigo Iannacone di Isernia.

Poet and artist Stephen Morris at De La Salle College, Sixth Form

Left: Poet and DLS teacher Mario Attard; Right: Poet and artist Stephen Morris

Poet and artist from England (Birmingham), Stephen Morris, gave a poetry reading last Monday, 6th October, at 7pm, at De La Salle College, Sixth Form. After reading his poetry in Mosta last Thursday, Stephen Morris spent a fantastic evening together with students, teachers and members from the Maltese Poets Association. Present during the evening was DLS Sixth Form Headmaster, Dr. John Portelli.

Stephen Morris played the guitar and sang, read and acted his poetry, after giving short introductions to his writings. Patrick Sammut, who compered the evening, read a short biography and asked a number of questons to the poet. Suffering constitutes an important ingredient in the making of a good poet, who must also know how to accept rejections and defeats, while continuing to look positively towards the future. Reading and travel help a lot in inspiration.

Students present during the evening, but also a number of Maltese Poets Association (Alfred Palma, Andrew Sciberras, Anthony Farrugia and Mario Attard) members, read their poetry in both Maltese and English.

Those present were after treated to a small reception.

Left: Some of those present during the Poetry Evening at DLS;

Right: Stephen Morris singing his poetry and playing guitar.

Intervistat Salv Sammut - poeta

1 Salv Sammut u s-safar. Din kienet għażla volontarja jew seħħet minħabba raġunijiet ta’ xogħol?

Żgur li ma kinitx għażla volontarja tiegħi fis-sens li mhux jien li tlabt minn jeddi biex insiefer iżda minħabba li kont nokkupa kariga ta’ Presidenti ridt bilfors nirrappreżenta lill-GWU l-aktar f’dawk li huma Kungressi ta’ Trade Unions barranin. Minbarra dan, minħabba wkoll li jien kont inkarigat u membru fil-Bord ta’ l-Awtorita` ta’ Malta fil-qasam tas-Saħħa u s-Sigurta` fuq il-Post tax-Xogħol bilfors ridt li nattendi Seminars, Konferenzi u attivitajiet oħra Ewropej. Ġara li l-fatt li kont ili nattendi dawn il-laqgħat u għalhekk rabbejt ħbiberija ma’ kollegi Ewropej oħra kif ukoll ma’ l-Organizzaturi stess sibt ruħi wkoll f’Kumitati oħra li jiltaqgħu ta’ sikwit f’diversi bliet ta’ l-Ewropa.

2 Salv Sammut, is-safar u l-poeżija. Liema ġie l-ewwel, is-safar jew il-poeżija?

Ovvjament – il-Poeżija. Ili nikteb sa mis-sena 1964 waqt li s-safar beda lejn il-bidu tas-sena 2000 meta kienu qed isiru t-tħejjijiet biex Malta tissieħeb fl-Unjoni Ewropea.

3 Min jaqra l-ġabra tiegħek jara wkoll bniedem li jħobb jitħallat ma’ folol, kulturi u popolazzjonijiet differenti imma fl-istess ħin ifittex il-ġenb (“il-pellegrin li jterraq waħdu”) biex ikollu wkoll ħin biex jirrifletti u jikteb. Xi tgħid dwar dan?

Huwa kollu minnu li għalkemm inkun mal-kotra u xi drabi wkoll ma’ ħbieb jew kollegi kemm f’laqgħat u kemm f’xi riċeviment, xorta waħda jiġi ħin fejn jien inħossni “barrani”, waħdi, mitluf qalb dik il-ħamba kollha. Dan nemmen li huwa riżultat li minħabba li jien kont l-iżgħar wieħed fost sitt aħwa li erbgħa minnhom mietu ta’ eta` ċkejkna u minħabba li jien minn eta` bikrija ħafna kont dejjem niftakar lil missieru barra mid-dar minħabba mard fit-tul u l-qagħda ekonomika ftit jew wisq ma setgħetx tkun dik mixtieqa bħal ta’ tfal oħra u kelli bilfors nagħraf li mhux kollox seta’ jinxtara jew jingħata lili, bħal donnu nissel fija realta` tas-sitwazzjoni ħin qabel il-waqt u ħarba ġewwenija individwalista jew psikologika li minn wara d-dinja protettiva tiegħi jien inħares u nosserva dak kollu li jkun qed iseħħ madwari. Kont nirrealizza li minn kmieni fit-tfulija tiegħi kien jinħtieġli li nkun raġel qabel biss qatt kont żagħżugħ. Tgħallimt nifli dak kollu li jseħħ madwari u nweġġa’ meta nara l-inġustizzja soċjali għalkemm xi drabi jkun jinħtieġ li twebbes xi ftit qalbek għax ma tkunx taf fis-sewwa jekk dik l-inġustizzja hijiex reali jew hix imposta għal ta’ l-apposta biex tqajjem il-ħniena mingħand dak li jkun għaddej u b’hekk tkun qed tfisser aktar bħala dħul finanzjarju bħalma ngħidu aħna dawk it-tallaba fil-kantunieri li lili daqshekk iqanqluni. Tassew li kollha huma daqshekk fqar?

4 Il-versi tiegħek għandhom kemm mill-poeżija kif ukoll mir-riflessjoni! Liema minn dawn iż-żewġ aspetti tpoġġi fl-ewwel post?

Ix-xewqa tiegħi minn dejjem kienet li l-poeżija għandha tieħu l-ewwel post fil-ħsieb u l-għan aħħari għax jekk ma jkunx hemm poeżija, il-ħsieb jew it-tqanqila jkunu biss prożajċi. Madankollu, bilfors li qabel nibda nħażżeż il-vrus tal-poeżija rrid nirrifletti fuq dak li se nikteb u l-mod li bih se nikteb. Jiġifieri nipprova nikteb b’lingwaġġ poetiku u li jinftiehem minn kulħadd iżda differenti mil-lingwaġġ ta’ kuljum. Għalhekk inħoss li ż-żewġ aspetti huma t-tnejn indaqs għalija għax waħda mingħajr l-oħra mhuma xejn.

5 Inti wkoll il-poeta li titfa’ dawl fuq l-imċerċer, l-inġustizzja, il-problemi soċjali, l-adultera, il-ħaddiem, it-tfajjel jittallab il-karita`. U dan f’kuntrast ma’ aspetti oħra li tirrekordja fil-versi tiegħek bħall-Ewropa kożmopolitana tal-boulevards, tal-Cruise Liners, tad-Dolce Gabbana, tal-Palazzi, tal-Moulen Rouge, l-iSkycrapers u l-bqija. Liema Ewropa hija l-iktar awtentika għal Salv Sammut u liema waħda minnhom tħalli l-ikbar marka fuqek.

Jiena tabilħaqq nemmen li l-Ewropa hija l-iktar u l-ikbar ċivilta` fid-dinja politika, kulturali, artistika u intellettwalista. Kieku ma kinitx l-Ewropa, ma kienx ikun hemm it-tixrid ta’ kulturi oħra f’pajjiżi barra mill-Ewropa li ġew influwenzati mill-kolonjalisti Ewropej fis-sekli mgħoddija. Minħabba l-Imperi u l-Monarkiji li nbnew u nħolqu matul is-sekli, bilfors li l-Bliet Ewropej fil-bini ta’ Palazzi, boulevards iwarrdu u toroq u pjazez kbar u wesgħin bdew igawdu minn arkitettura u mod ta’ ħajja li jgħolluhom ’il fuq fil-valur u l-istima minn Bliet oħra li mhumiex Ewropej.

B’danakollu, bħalma jiġri dejjem fil-ħajja, dak li huwa b’saħħtu xi drabi jinsa lil dak inqas b’saħħtu. Min huwa komdu ftit jirrifletti f’dak li huwa nieqes mill-ħtiġiet bażiċi. Dak li huwa medhi bil-bosta bil-ħidma individwali tiegħu ma jirrealizzax li hemm min m’għandux fejn isib jaqla’ l-għixien tiegħu ta’ kuljum jew saqaf fuq rasu u għaldaqstant, dan ta’ l-aħħar jisfa mwarrab, emarġinat u minsi u jkollu jintasab fil-kantunieri jew fid-daħliet ta’ l-istabbilimenti jittallab il-ħniena ta’ ħaddieħor u jgħaddi l-lejl sajfi jew xitwi imgeddes fil-kutri tal-gazzetti jew tal-kartun.

Meta nkun f’dawn il-Bliet, filwaqt li nara d-differenza fil-mod ta’ ħajja taċ-ċittadini ma nistax ma narax u ma nħosx l-inġustizzja fit-tixrid u fit-twettiq tal-ġid soċjali fejn is-solidarjeta` donnha li mhix għal kulħadd l-istess iżda bħal fil-ġungla m’hemmx lok għal min huwa dgħajjef. Għalija personali bħall-mistoqsija ta’ qabel din, iż-żewġ realtajiet huma l-istess u t-tnejn huma awtentiċi. Il-qasma tremenda ta’ min hu kbir u ta’ min huwa żgħir; ta’ min hu b’saħħtu u ta’ min huwa dgħajjef.

6 Il-versi tiegħek huma wkoll speċi ta’ album tar-ritratti. Jissemmew postijiet bħal Frankfurt, Kosovo, Varsavja, Budapest, Vienna, Polynesia, Pariġi. Xi tgħid dwar dan?

Eżattament dak kien il-ħsieb tiegħi li noħloq ritratt ta’ awtentiċita` li fl-istess ħin nuri d-differenza li tgħaddi bejn Belt u oħra. Ridt ukoll infisser kif lili personali laqtuni emozzjonalment u kif setgħu nikktuni jew ferrħuni. Ridt noħroġ ukoll l-aspett fid-differenza soċjali u politika ta’ bliet li għal snin twal isseddqu fid-demokrazija waqt li oħrajn għadhom isibu posthom fil-ħelsien politiku ġdid tagħhom. Bliet għonja fil-ġid materjali m’oħrajn ifqar. Bliet li jiddominaw kummerċjalment u politikament m’oħrajn sottili.

7 Il-poeżija hija vjaġġ filwaqt li fil-vjaġġ hemm il-poeżija. Kif tirreaġixxi għal frażi bħal din?

Il-poeżija hija vjaġġ intelletwali fejn il-poeta jimraħ fis-sbuħija tal-ħsieb u fis-sbuħija tal-kelma miktuba kif imfissra mill-qalb li ħabtet kif tnisslet fiha t-tqanqila jew il-leħma tagħha f’mument partikolari li ma jiġix meta wieħed irid iżda meta l-moħħ, il-qalb u r-ruħ jingħaqdu flimkien biex ifissru tqanqila ta’ emozzjoni ewlenija. Filwaqt li l-vjaġġ tal-poeżija huwa espressjoni elevata fejn id-distanza u d-destinazzjoni tal-wasla tagħha huma sublimi aktar minn espressjoni ordinarja li tingħad kuljum mingħajr tferfir tal-qalb u tar-ruħ. It-tifsira espressa hija mirquma u mogħnija bi frażijiet li ma jintesewx kif jingħaddu.

8 Salv Sammut u l-parteċipazzjoni tiegħu f’Lejliet ta’ Poeżija organizzati mill-Għaqda Poeti Maltin. X’jista’ jiggwadanja l-poeta u l-ħabib tal-poeżija minn serati u għaqdiet bħal dawn?

Nitkellem għalija individwalment, jisgħobbini li ma ħadtx sehem fihom aktar qabel. L-ewwel ħaġa f’dawn is-serati m’hemmx min jistħajlu aħjar minn ħaddieħor u ħadd ma jogħla fuq ħaddieħor. Kull min irid jiġi u jaqra xogħlu huwa mistieden li jagħmel dan mingħajr irbit ta’ tema jew kundizzjoni oħra. Issir midħla u tagħmel ħbieb ġodda u ssir taf b’esperjenzi u xi drabi titgħallem ukoll minn fejn għandek tgħaddi biex ix-xogħol tiegħek tmexxih ’il quddiem. F’dawn il-Lejliet li huwa interessanti huwa biss il-POEŻIJA u mhux x’int, min int u xi twemmin tħaddan. Kulħadd l-istess u kulħadd bl-istess ħsieb aħħari li jsemma’ xogħlu u jgħolli l-poeżija fuq il-pedestal li jixirqilha.

Patrick Sammut (Ottubru 2008)

Poezija:

JIEN RAJT WAQT LI KONT G}ADDEJ

(Mejju 27, 2008)

- Salv Sammut -

Jien u g]addej minn fost il-kotra m[enna

ta]bat f’xulxin b]an-nemel ]awtiel

ti[ri wara l-]in-eternità

bla sabar f’destinazzjonijiet differenti;

in]ares u nifli b’]arsa ta’ skrutinju

lejn dil-folla mitlufa

fis-subkonxju individwali.

Rajt mara adultera tibki dmug] il-madalena

fl-istazzjon u fit-tara[ ta’ l-underground

tistenna lil bniedem-klijent

tiela’ bl-escalator g]al kirja mla]]ma tal-midinba

ma’ dmug]ha mxerred ja]sel l-g]elt l-umanità.

Rajt direttur-e\ekuttiv bil-mobajl ma’ widnejh

jag]ti struzzjonijiet biex bi sforz kollettiv

ilkoll ifasslu l-mod manipolattiv

ta’ kif b’diplomazija u strate[ija fina

jg]elbu l-avversarju kompetittiv.

Rajt tallab im`er`er jifrex il-mitra] tal-kartun,

u qabel jag]laq g]ajnejh im\ell[a mit-trakomja

jisma’ f’widnejh il-]oss itarrax tat-tren fuq il-linji

u jist]ajlu damdim fil-profondità ta’ ru]u;

i]ares imqit lejn l-indifferenza tal-kotra

g]addejja bla kompassjoni minn ]dejh.

Rajt mera [ewwa vetrina ta’ Spi\erija

u fir-riflessjoni tag]ha dehret il-mara adultera

tibki dmug] l-intolleranza tas-so`jetà;

g]adda d-direttur-e\ekuttiv f’manipolazzjoni

jikkompeti mal-]a\en tal-kompetitur;

xiref it-tallab jimtedd fuq il-mitra] tal-kartun

jis]et l-ingratitudni tal-bnedmin.

I\da fuq kollox, fihom kollha lma]t lili nnifsi

fl-isfond tal-mera li tikxef kull verità;

bniedem solitarju b’apatija kbira

iterraq fit-toroq tal-belt kosmopolitana

fis-skiet tas-solitudni

g]addej fost il-kotra li qed tg]ix

f’dinja ta’ egoi\mu sfrenat.

Salv Sammut ghadu kemm ippubblika antologija poetika bl-isem ta' TIZWIQA (2008)

An interview with Ada Aharoni from Israel

1. Both poets and politicians have WORDS as their main tool. Does this mean that they are similar? In what way do they use words?

Poets and Politicians are quite different. Politicians use words to convince you to vote for them, as they need a seat, and therefore they often use words in such a way that are not truly what they really think or feel.

Poets use words to express themselves and their innermost thoughts, words for
them mirror their souls and their deepest feelings. They have no claim on their
readers, unlike the politians who want their votes.

Poets just sincerely hope their words will be read, understood and appreciated.

2. It seems that you believe in poetry with a message, not poetry for art's sake? Is that so and why?

I appreciate poetry for art's sake too. However, I think that the world today is in great need of the consciousness, wisdom, and love of the poets. T.S. Eliot was right when he said that "Poets are the consciousness of the world!" And with all the violence and wars we have on our planet today, we badly need the consciousness and the love of the poets to repair our world and soothe ailing humankind. It is not that I prefer poems with a message, what I would like to see is that more poets become "conscious caretakers", and that they would write beautiful and fascinating poems that move us to be better people and more involved in the mending of our ailing blue planet - before it blows up in flames.

3. Unfortunately children suffer a lot because of war. I'm thinking of your poetry and of novels written by Khaled Hosseini and Deborah Ellis (re. children in Afghanistan). How do you react to such a statement?

I have read both of Khaled Hosseini's novels all through the night, as I could not lay them down. This is exactly the kind of writing and subjects I would like to see poets dealing with. It is not only the children that are suffering in wars, it is the whole of humankind. Poets should make it their business to throw out the whole concept and practice of wars from our lives and our dictionaries.

4. When did your interest in poetry, especially in peace poetry, start? In brief, what is IFLAC and what is your current role in this organisation?

I wrote poetry (in English), since I was ten years old. I grew up in a French speaking family in Egypt, and went to an English school, and poetry was a way to speak to myself and take hold of my thoughts and feelings. One of the poets who had a great influence on my writing was the British peace poet Wilfred Owen, whose poetry we studied at school. Through his moving poetry, he made me see the absurdity of war, and as he put it: "The pity of war!" Under his influence, I became a devoted peace poet, when Alexandria was bombed every night and when we had to rush in fear to the shelters during World War II. When Egypt banished its Jewish community in 1949, and I and my family became penniless immigrants, I joined a kibbutz in Israel, and thought that now at last we could live in peace, but five cruel wars were imposed on us, and the violence continues to this day. I have therefore dedicated my life to the pursuit of peace through the creation of Bridges of Culture. I founded and am the President of IFLAC: The International Forum for the Culture of Peace till 2009, and since we have had many impressive activities, and have established a daily Peace Culture Newsletter, and five very successful PEACE CULTURE Congresses. The sixth one will be in March in Haifa, and you are all invited to particpate. Information about it will be soon posted on http://www.iflac.com/

5. Do you think poets can arrive where politicians did not venture regarding peace? How?

Unfortunately our fates are still in the hands of the politicians. However, what we do at IFLAC is to pave the road for the leaders to follow. We are realistic and know that we cannot impose the peace we would like so much to see, but by being a platform that expresses what the majority of the people of the world crave for - peace and freedom from violence, destruction and wars - we can influence the politicians that wars cannot resolve conflicts. We can create a peace culture that can make it easier for politicians on both sides of conflicts, like the Israelis and the Palestinians, to reach an agreement that would be acceptable by both sides.

6. How important is for you to have contacts with other poets all over the world? Have you ever held contacts with poets such as Nazim Hikmet or Sam Hamill?

It is very important for me to have contacts with poets from around the world and to exchange my thoughts and views with them. I have travelled around the world twice, and met hundreds of excellent poets (not the two you mention). I am also a member of several poetry organizations, including the WCP, Senator Teresinka Pereira's IWA, VOICES, The Israeli Association of writers and poets, etc...

7. Describe in brief: a. Ada Aharoni as a person; b. the city you live in?

As I describe myself in one of my poems, I am the "Woman of No Time." I live every minute to the full, as if it were the last one, I am involved with many projects in addition to the running of IFLAC, and the preparation of the our next International Conference in Haifa. This year I started a PEACE STORY COURSE, and we are preparing a major PEACE STORY FESTIVAL in May 2009, I have recently published 4 additional books, two in English and one in Hebrew and one in French, And all that in addition to my lecturing, writing, and an intense family life, etc., etc.,

Haifa is a beautiful city by the Mediterranean Sea, on green Mount Carmel. It is in many ways like San Francisco, as it has a large Bay. The fantastic thing about Haifa is that it is the City of Love and Peace. We have 17 denominations, including Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Moslems, Christians, Druze and Bahai (elsewhere they all fight each other), but in Haifa, and its suburbs like Nesher, we all live in peace and harmony, and we all prosper together. IFLAC has contributed to the wonderful atmosphere in Haifa, and to the building of Bridges of peace culture among the various ethnic denominations in our beautiful and beloved city of Haifa, that can be a model for all the Middle East and the whole world.

(Patrick Sammut, September, 2008)

Poetry by Ada Aharoni:

Abdul's Children

Will not know more

Than Abdul does,

for Abdul's children

Are not taught more

Than Abdul was.

Benevolent Ladies -

Stuff your ears

With cocktail parties

Your noses with caviar,

With Champagne your eyes -

Then no more sighs,

You will not hear

Nor smell nor see

Their illiterateCries.

A Bridge of Peace

"They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,and none shall make them afraid." (Micah, 4, 4)

My Arab sister,

Let us build a sturdy bridge

From your olive world to mine,

From my orange world to yours,

Above the boiling pain

Of acid rain prejudice -

And hold human hands high

Full of free stars

Of twinkling peace.

I do not want to be your oppressor

You do not want to be my oppressor,

Or your jailer

Or my jailer,

We do not want to make each other afraid

Under our vines

And under our fig trees

Blossoming on a silvered horizon

Above the bruising and the bleeding

Of Poison gases and scuds.

So, my Arab sister,

Let us build a bridge of

Jasmine understanding

Where each shall sit with her baby

Under her vine and under her fig tree -

And none shall make them afraid

AND NONE SHALL MAKE THEM AFRAID.

Prof. Ada AharoniIFLAC & WCJE President18 Amos Street, apt 77Nesher 36000 Israelwww.iflac.com/ada

Poetry from Dorin Popa - Romania

WHAT DO I EXPECT ?

what do I expect, now

when I don’ t expect anything, anymore ?!
I carefully counted

all my malformations

all my helplesnesses

and I happily gathered

my entire misfortunes

in my soul

what do I expect ?
the waste, the loneliness

the ragged and cobwebbed

remains of the puzzle

the infections, the mud, the slag, the confusion

kept me warm, stifled me

and yet …

and yet …

now

when I don’ t expect anything

what do I expect ??

JAMAIS VUI

do not recognize anything anymore,

I do not know, I do not remember

a stranger through my life

preoccupied,

I hurriedly pass.

only sometimes do I perceive my trembling,

fearful, helpless heart,

heart - an animal on the brink

of extinction

I MIEI VAGITI DI BAMBINO

mi avvicino alla vecchiaia e continuo a nascondere

sotto l´abito

i miei vagiti di bambino

Dio, rimango sempre indietro !

la malinconia ed il vuoto

appoggiano

il mio universo troppo piano

gli ostacoli e l´incertezza

decidono

per me

lo spavento viene a trovarmi

insieme alla speranza

neanche un secolo se vivessi

non mi basterebbe per

piangere in terra

fino alla fine

questa mia vita

che e sul punto di sfuggirmi.

SEE: http://www.dorinpopa.wordpress.com/