Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Intervista ma' Alfred Massa

     1.     Naf li inti għandek żewġ ġabriet ta’ poeżija bil-Malti diġà ppubblikati. Hawn interessat fil-poeżiji li tikteb bl-Ingliż u bit-Taljan. Meta bdejt tikteb b’dawn l-ilsna u f’liema okkażjoni ħassejt il-bżonn li titbiegħed minn ilsien art twelidna?

Sewwa għedt, jien għandi żewġ Ġabriet ta’ poeżiji bil-Malti:  Fjur tal-Ġebel (1994) u Diwi fil-Maqdes (2000).  Imma rrid ngħid li qabel dawn kont ko-awtur f’Ġabra poetika oħra mat-tliet poeti: John Sciberras, Alfred Palma u Maurice Vella Borg.  Qed nirreferi għal Qawsalla ’72 (1972).  Għandi wkoll Ġabra oħra lesta għall-pubblikazzjoni Fl-Għabex, barra għadd ġmielu ta’ poeżiji oħra.

  Minnu wkoll li għandi xi versi bl-Ingliż u bit-Taljan.  Fil-fatt, kif stqarrejt f’intervista oħra, jien l-ewwel ma bdejt nikteb poeżiji bl-Ingliż.  Wara, fuq parir tal-Kap tal-iskola fejn kont ngħallem, il-mibki  Reggie Vella Tomlin (iben E.B. Vella) bdejt nikteb bil-Malti.  Tinsiex, li l-ewwel pubblikazzjoni tal-Għ.P.M. kienet Ġabra poetika bl-Ingliż: A Poetic Galaxy (1983); dak iż-żmien jien kont Viċi President u ħadt sehem fiha b’ħames poeżiji.  Minn hemm tħajjart biex kultant issuktajt nikteb xi versi b’Ilsien Shakespeare.

Kienet l-Għ.P.M. ukoll li ħajritni nikteb bit-Taljan.  Fis-snin tmenin l-Għaqda bdiet torganizza l-Premio Città di Valletta li laqqagħna ma’ diversi poeti Taljani.  Lejn nofs it-tmeninijiet numru ta’ poeti membri tal-Għaqda morna darbtejn Catanzaro u qsamna l-ideat ma’ numru sabiħ ta’ poeti mis-Sud tal-Italja. Barra minn dan, jien kont immur kważi kull sajf f’raħal (Ispica) fi Sqallija u hemm iltqajt ma’ poeti Sqallin u attendejt għal xi manifestazzjonijiet tagħhom.  Tajjeb inżid li dak iż-żmien f’Malta kien hawn interess kbir f’konkorsi poetiċi organizzati minn Għaqdiet Kulturali Taljani; dan kollu kien ħajjarni biex nibda ninseġ versi b’Ilsien Dante wkoll.

Sadattant, irrealizzajt kemm kien (u għadu) meħtieġ li nesportaw il-poeżija lokali barra minn xtutna; ħaġa li għadni nemmen fiha sallum.  Hawn irrid insellem lil diversi mexxejja tal-Għ.P.M., speċjalment lill-Mons. Dr Amante Buontempo li ħadem ħafna biex dan kollu sar possibbli permezz tal-kuntatti li kellu barra minn pajjiżna.

     2.     Kif intlaqgħu dawn il-poeżiji b’ilsna barranin kemm mill-Maltin kif ukoll minn qarrejja mhux Maltin? X’kien għadek qatt ma ppubblikajt dawn il-poeżiji f’ġabra għalihom?

 Jidher li kemm il-poeżija bl-Ingliż kif ukoll dik bit-Taljan kellhom ġa bażi soda f’pajjiżna.  Naħseb li l-poeżiji personali tiegħi biż-żewġ ilsna barranin  intlaqgħu aħjar barra minn xtutna milli f’pajjiżna.  Jista’ jkun għax fostna ftit li xejn saru konkorsi miftuħin għall-poeżiji bl-Ingliż u bit-Taljan.  Kienet l-Għ.P.M. li fetħet il-bieb għal dawn it-tipi ta’ konkorsi fil-Konkors Nazzjonali annwali tagħha.  B’danakollu, ma nistax ngħid eżattament x’kien l-apprezzament tal-versi tiegħi lokalment b’dawn iż-żewġ lingwi.

Min-naħa l-oħra, iżda modestament nistqarr li l-poeżiji bit-Taljan rebħu diversi premjijiet fl-Italja.  Inħossni sodisfatt li fl-2001 ingħatajt l-għarfien ta’ Pioniere della Cultura Europea mill-Għaqda Unione Pionieri della Cultura Europea bħala rikonoxximent għas-sehem tiegħi fil-qasam poetiku; dan huwa sinjal ċar li l-poeżija tiegħi bit-Taljan intlaqgħet tajjeb.  L-istess nista’ ngħid li l-fatt li ġejt maħtur Membru fl-International Writers and Artists Association tal-Istati Uniti għas-sehem tiegħi fil-poeżija juri wkoll li l-versi tiegħi bl-Ingliż intlaqgħu favorevolment ukoll.

Ir-raġuni li bqajt ma ppubblikajtx fi ktieb ta’ dawn il-poeżiji hija ovvja.  Anki kotba tal-poeżija bil-Malti rari ssib min jippubblikahomlok f’pajjiżna, aħseb u ara kemm se ssib Djar tal-Pubblikazzjoni li jippubblikawlek Ġabriet ta’ versi b’ilsna barranin.

     3.     Żgur li l-kitba ta’ poeżiji b’ilsna oħra tatek l-opportunità li tiltaqa’ ma’ bosta kittieba anki lil hinn minn xtutna. Xi tgħid dwar dan?

 Iva.  Kelli diversi okkażjonijiet niltaqa’ ma poeti barranin.  L-aktar meta sifirt l-Italja.  Imma wkoll permezz tal-korrespondenza.  F’żgħożiti niftakar iltqajt ma’ Cecil Day-Lewis u anki ma’ xi poeti Franċiżi li kienu Malta għal btala u kont intervistajthom għall-paġna letterarja tal-ġurnal Il-Ħajja li kelli f’idejja.  Dawk kienu opportunitajiet sbieħ.  Għalhekk, inħeġġeġ it-tmexxija tal-Għ.P.M. biex tibqa’ f’kuntatt ma’ poeti barranin u forsi, kif għamlet fl-imgħoddi, tħajjar uħud minnhom jiġu jżuruna.  Għax minn kuntatti diretti bħal dawn wieħed jista’ jitgħallem ħafna.

     4.     Illum, li m’għadekx il-President tal-Għaqda Poeti Maltin, x’inhi r-relazzjoni tiegħek mal-poeżija?

 Sakemm kont membru fil-Kumitat tal-Għ.P.M. dejjem kont fuq ta’ quddiem fl-attivitajiet li kienet torganizza.  Tinsiex, jien kelli sehem kbir fit-twaqqif ta’ din l-Għaqda.  Meta mbagħad kont President komplejt fejn ħalla l-predeċessur tiegħi u pprovajt (bl-għajnuna ta’ sħabi fil-Kumitat) nesplora attivitajiet ġodda; fosthom li l-Għ.P.M. tiġri wara l-poplu u mhux tistenna l-poplu jiġi għandha.  Saru diversi attivitajiet mill-Għaqda, kif taf int, li ssuktaw jgħollu isem l-Għ.P.M.  Ħallejt l-Għaqda ħajja għall-aħħar u hekk għadha u nittama li hekk tibqa’ fil-ġejjieni.

  Illum ir-relazzjoni tiegħi tal-poeżija għadha ħajja, imma fuq linja personali.  L-aktar minħabba raġunijiet li inti tafhom tajjeb.  Illum nieħu gost naqra u kultant ninseġ xi versi wkoll.  Fejn nista’ għadni nagħti sehem żgħir lill-Għ.P.M.

     5.     Proġett għall-ġejjieni f’dan ir-rigward?

 Ix-xewqa tiegħi hi li għad nara l-poeżiji li għandi fil-kexxun mitbugħin.  Ktibt ukoll Oratorjo Ħal Tarxien, Iben Marija li ġie mmużikat minn Mro Hermann Farrugia Frantz.  Nittama li  jittella’ s-sena d-dieħla. 

  Tinsiex, il-bniedem ħafna drabi huwa lsir tas-sitwazzjoni/jiet li jsib ruħu fiha/fihom.  Persważ, li inti tifhimni aktar minn ħaddieħor.  Jien m’għandix (qatt ma ħlomt li jkolli) ix-xewqa ta’ Shakespeare, li nikteb biex insir immortali; nikteb għall-gost personali u biex inwassal messaġġ pożittiv lill-qarrejja.

  Fl-aħħarnett, int kompli l-proġett sabiħ li bdejt.  Il-Pont  jista’ jgħin ħafna fit-tixrid tal-poeżija Maltija.


          

         

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Altri versi di buon augurio

SEASON GREETINGS
2013-2014

The light comes back after the dreams
fulfilled or not
and floods again the hopes of each one of us.


The last stimulus of the year
is still the first one
in the blue sky of the new year:
We want PEACE!
We wish for inner peace
in order to live more confident
and peace among humanity
to see the planet renewing.
We trust you with all our love
and deposit in your hands
THIS INFINITE HOPE!

TERESINKA PEREIRA

 
E' NATALE

Natale non è
quest’anno
o forse sì
se il Natale è
per chi stringe
lacrime e sale
per chi prega pane
e soffre amore
per chi conta
un’altra stella
nel libro del suo cuore.

Natale è
quel Bambino
che sempre ritorna
con il suo fascio di luce
e accende nidi di speranza.

E riprendiamo
il nostro sentiero
non importa quanto nero
sia il fondo della nostra notte.

PAOLA MARA DE MAESTRI


Valletta - Christmas Eve 2013/2


National Library/ Biblioteca Nazionale


St. George Square/Piazza San Giorgio






Republic Street/ Strada Repubblica 


Valletta - Christmas Eve 2013


Republic Street/ Strada Repubblica




The Royal Theatre/ Il Teatro Reale



St. John's Cathedral/ Cattedrale di San Giovanni



Fountain in St. George's Square/ Fontanella in Piazza San Giorgio

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Versi ta' Awgurju

IL-MILIED IT-TAJJEB LILKOM POETI TAD-DINJA

Naħseb fikom, fuq kollox f’dan iż-żmien speċjali,
u nistħajjilkom għaddejjin bix-xogħol tagħkom
ilkoll impenjati f’oqsma differenti
ilkoll bil-barkiet u bil-piżijiet tagħkom
ilkoll bil-waqtiet ta’ ferħ u oħrajn ta’ niket
ilkoll bis-saħħiet u bl-uġigħat tagħkom
fid-dinja ċkejkna tagħkom.

Hemm minnkom li qegħdin id-dar mal-familja
oħrajn waħedkom minħabba xogħol jew minħabba d-destin.
Hemm minnkom f’sitwazzjoni soċjali mwiegħra
fejn eluf jipprotestaw favur kondizzjonijiet aħjar,
oħrajn fejn hemm il-ksieħ, il-faqar, il-ġuħ u l-instabbiltà
minħabba gvernijiet dgħajfin.
Hemm minnkom li jaħdmu f’universitajiet u kulleġġi
kwiekeb ta’ għerf, rispett u ċiviltà
f’nofs ibħra mqallbin.

La tinsewx però...
F’dan il-Milied u waqt is-sena kollha
komplu semmgħu leħenkom kontra
l-abbuż, il-ħażen, il-manipulazzjoni,
favur l-imwarrbin u kontra l-persekuzzjoni.
Komplu agħtu n-nifs, id-dawl u s-saħħa
lil kull min jeħtieġhom.
Intom front wieħed, intom fejn intom!
La taqtgħux qalbkom
u ħallu l-kewkba tal-Milied tiggwidakom
għal darb’oħra.

Patrick Sammut
Milied 2013

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL POETS OF THE WORLD

I think of you, especially during this exceptional time,
and imagine you busy with your daily chores
all working in different fields
all with your blessings and burdens
all with your moments of happiness and sadness
all with your strengths and pains
in your small world.

Among you are those who are with family
others are alone because of work or fate.
Among you are those who live in difficult social environments
where thousands protest in favour of better conditions;
others are surrounded by cold, poverty, famine and instability
because of weak government.
Among you those who work at colleges and universities
stars of wisdom, respect and civility
in the midst of heavy seas.

However, do not forget...
During this Christmas and the coming year
continue to make your voices heard
against abuse, wrong and manipulation,
in favour of the forlorn, against persecution.
Go on giving breadth, light and strength
to all those in need.
You are one front, wherever you are!
Do not be discouraged
let the Christmas star guide you
once more.

PATRICK SAMMUT (MALTA)
Christmas 2013

BUON NATALE A VOI POETI DEL MONDO
 
Penso a voi, soprattutto in questo periodo speciale,
e v’immagino occupati col vostro lavoro
tutti impegnati in settori diversi
tutti con le proprie benedizioni e i propri pesi
tutti con momenti felici e altri tristi
tutti con le proprie forze e con i propri dolori
nel vostro piccolo mondo.

Tra voi ci sono quelli che stanno a casa con la famiglia
altri si trovano da soli per lavoro o per colpa del destino.
Tra voi ci sono quelli in situazioni sociali difficili
dove migliaia manifestano a favore di condizioni migliori;
altri dove c’è il freddo, la povertà, la fame e l’instabilità
per colpa di governi deboli.
Tra voi quelli che lavorano all’università o in collegi
stelle della sapienza, del rispetto e della civiltà
nel mezzo di mari tempestosi.

Però, non dimenticate...
In questo Natale e durante tutto l’anno nuovo
continuate a far sentire la vostra voce contro
l’abuso, il male, la manipolazione,
a favore degli emarginati e contro la persecuzione.
Continuate a dare respiro, luce e forza
a tutti quelli che li necessitano.
Siete un solo fronte, siete dove siete!
Non vi scoraggiate
e lasciate che la stella di Natale vi guida
di nuovo.

Patrick Sammut (Malta)

Questa poesia si trova anche nel seguente link: 
http://www.tellusfolio.it/index.php?prec=%2Findex.php&cmd=v&id=16832

Mille grazie all'editore Enea Sansi e al team di Tellus folio.


FELIZ NAVIDAD A TODOS USTEDES, POETAS DEL MUNDO

Pienso en todos ustedes, particularmente en este periodo especial,
Les imagino inmersos en sus tareas diurnas
Cada uno trabajando en su propio campo
Cada uno con sus bendiciones y con sus cruces
Cada uno con sus momentos felices y con sus momentos tristes,
Cada uno con sus fortalezas y con sus dolores
Cada uno en su pequeño mundo.

Entre ustedes hay los que están en familia,
Otros están solos por razones de trabajo o según su destino.
Entre ustedes hay los que viven en sociedades
Donde miles de personan luchan para condiciones mejores;
otros están rodeados de pobreza, del frío, del hambre y de la inestabilidad,
porque sus gobiernos son demasiado débiles.
Entre ustedes hay los que trabajan en colegios y universidades,
Estrellas de sabiduría, respeto y humanidad
En medio de mares tempestuosos.

Sin embargo, no olviden
seguir gritando en voz alta
durante el periodo navideño y en el año que viene
contra el mal, el abuso y la manipulación,
en favor de los abandonados, en contra de la persecución,
que sigan dando respiro, luz y fuerza
a todos los necesitados.
Ustedes son un solo frente, estén donde estén!
No pierdan nunca la esperanza,
Ojalá la Estrella de Navidad les guíe
una vez más.

Patrick Sammut (Malta)
Navidad 2013
Translated in Spanish by Stephen Cachia

Friday, December 06, 2013

MANDELA DIED... VIVA MANDELA!

South Africa July 18, 1918  -  December 5, 2013

Mandela's life
embraces victory
against apartheid
on the Africa Continent.
The world learned
how to live together
as a rainbow of colors,
solemn in the honor
of a humanity
without race prejudice.
With Nelson Mandela,
peace has been a flame
that will keep burning
for essential justice.
His heroic struggle for freedom
has transformed the planet,
allowing the light of reason
to perfect the sentiment
and to grow in the human soul.
Mandela did not die: he will
live in every mind that seeds hope
for peace with love and justice.

Teresinka Pereira

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Attivita' ta' qari fil-Librerija ta' Beltisebħ


L-attivita' "Għall-Kbar Biss" se ssir nhar is-Sibt 14 ta' Diċembru fil-Librerija Pubblika ta' Beltisebħ, bejn id-9:00am u s-1:00pm.

Se jkun hemm qari, kemm originali kif ukoll siltiet tradizzjonali mil-Letteratura Maltija. Kulħadd jista' jagħżel is-suggetti li jixtieq. 
Ħin għal kull awtur/ parteċipant sew jkun ta' KWARTA kull wieħed/waħda, biex wieħed ikun jista' jintroduċi lilu nnifsu u jaqra s-silta. Importanti li ma jkunx hemm ħafna tul ħalli l-udjenza ma tiddejjaqx. Din se tkun opportunita' biex jiteassal il-Malti waqt li niltaqghu ftit fi tmiem din is-sena.

Miriam Cassar
VersAghtini IKM
99226186


EJJEW NIPPARTEĊIPAW AĦNA L-KITTIEBA! TA' MIN NAGĦTUHA DAQQA T'ID LIL MIRIAM.

Convegno-presentazione a Venafro: Restituiamo la letteratura meridionale ai Licei

Importante incontro culturale venerdí 6 dicembre 2013, ore 17,30, a Venafro (Isernia), Biblioteca Comunale “De Bellis-Pilla”, Via Milano. L’occasione è data dalla presentazione – patrocinata dal Comune di Venafro – del libro “Faremo un giorno una carta poetica del Sud”, sottotitolo “Restituiamo la letteratura meridionale ai Licei” (Ed. Delta 3, Grottaminarda), libro curato, a piú mani, da Alessandro Di Napoli, Giuseppe Iuliano, Alfonso Nannariello, Paolo Saggese.

Sono previsti interventi di Antonio Sorbo, Sindaco di Venafro, degli scrittori Amerigo Iannacone e Giuseppe Napolitano, oltre che testimonianze degli autori. Seguirà dibattito.
Il libro, che si avvale di una introduzione di Alessandro Quasimodo, figlio di Salvatore, nasce come contributo alla “battaglia” ingaggiata dal Centro di Documentazione sulla poesia del Sud per far modificare le cosiddette “indicazioni” dell’allora Ministro dell’Istruzione Gelmini, che con un decreto del 2010, escludeva i poeti e gli scrittori meridionali dai programmi dei licei.
Le “indicazioni” prevedono infatti che «Dentro il secolo XX e fino alle soglie dell’attuale, il percorso della poesia, che esordirà con le esperienze decisive di Ungaretti, Saba e Montale, contemplerà un’adeguata conoscenza di testi scelti tra quelli di autori della lirica coeva e successiva (per esempio Rebora, Campana, Luzi, Sereni, Caproni, Zanzotto, ...). Il percorso della narrativa, dalla stagione neorealistica ad oggi, comprenderà letture da autori significativi come Gadda, Fenoglio, Calvino, P. Levi e potrà essere integrato da altri autori (per esempio Pavese, Pasolini, Morante, Meneghello...)». Nessun meridionale, nemmeno Quasimodo, nemmeno Tomasi di Lampedusa. Sono scomparsi Sciascia, Silone, Jovine, Gatto, Scotellaro, Sinisgalli, Vittorini, De Libero, e tutti gli altri poeti e scrittori meridionali che hanno fatto grande la letteratura italiana del Novecento.
Un incontro, quello di venerdì prossimo, che si annuncia proficuo e stimolante.



Serata Mużiko-Letterarja fiċ-Circolo Gozitano

Fir-ritratt jidher il-poeta Għawdxi Charles Bezzina.

Nhar il-Ħamis filgħaxija 28 ta’ Novembru għadd ta’ kittieba Għawdxin iltaqgħu flimkien u qraw xi xogħlijiet tagħhom li kienu jvarjaw minn proża, poeżija u essay.  Inqraw ukoll xi xogħlijiet letterarji ta’ kittieba Għawdxin li m’għadhomx magħna li kienu jinkludu lil Gorġ Pisani, il-Prof Ġuże’ Aquilina,  Mary Mejlak, Anton Buttiġieġ ex President tar-Repubblika, Patri Mattew Sultana Kapuċċin u l-Kan Joe Mejlak.  Din l-okkażjoni saret fuq l-inizjattiva tal-Kav Joe M Attard li fi żmien qasir se jippubblika ktieb dwar Kittieba Għawdxin matul dawn l-aħħar Mitt sena.   Intant, il-kittieba Għawdxin li laqgħu l-istedina u qraw xi xogħol tagħhom kienu jinkludu fost l-oħrajn lil  Joe Camilleri, Charles Bezzina, Joe W Psaila (li qrat żewġ poeżiji tiegħu s-sinjura Marja Żammit Borġ billi l-poeta inzerta msiefer), Ġanninu Cremona, Dun Gorġ Mercieca, Anton F Attard, l-Avukat Alfred Grech u l-Kapuċċin Patri Remiġ Galea.  Il-kantant Spiro Sillato u s-sopran Rosabelle  Pavia komplew żejnu s-serata bis-sehem mużikali tagħhom.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Taħdita Pubblika DUN KARM: TAMIETU BEJN NAZZJON U FIDI


Nhar l-Erbgħa 27 ta' Novembru 2013 fis-6.30pm, se ssir taħdita pubblika dwar “Dun Karm: Tamietu bejn Nazzjon u Fidi” mill-istudjuż Charlò-Carmel Camilleri O.Carm. Din se ssir fl-Università, tal-Qroqq, fiċ-Ċentru għall-Konferenzi Mikiel Anton Vassalli (Gateway,  Sala A). Kulħadd huwa mistieden u d-dħul huwa b’xejn.

Din it-taħdita qed issir bl-inizjattiva tad-Dipartiment tal-Malti tal-Università u l-Fondazzjoni Karmen Mikallef Buħaġar. Din il-Konferenza Karmen Mikallef Buħaġar issir kull sentejn bil-għan li ġġedded l-istudji dwar il-kitbiet u l-personalità letterarja tal-poeta nazzjonali.

It-taħdita ta’ Patri Charlò-Carmel Camilleri se ssir f’għeluq il-mitt sena mill-34 Kungress Ewkaristiku Internazzjonali li sar f’Malta fl-1913 u l-kxif tal-mafkar tal-Kungress, xogħol Antonio Sciortino. L-għan tagħha hu li tgħarrex il-bixriet inqas magħrufin tal-ħajja u l-kitba ta’ Dun Karm, li bħala kittieb Malti b’sejħa ta’ qassis u b’qalb ta’ poeta kellu tamiet nazzjonali li jistħoqqilhom ħarsa mill-qrib.

Il-viżjoni ta’ Dun Karm tal- “Omm ħelwa li tatna isimha” hija wkoll frott is-sinteżi fih ta’ sentiment uman, nazzjonalità Maltija, u vokazzjoni reliġjużaMeta din is-sinteżi tingħaqad mal-ħila tiegħu bħala oratur u kittieb, ifeġġ il-profil sħiħ ta’ Dun Karm li se jiġi ttrattat f’dan id-diskors b’avviċinament ġdid.

Hemm aktar tagħrif dwar din it-taħdita pubblika, ikkoordinata minn Dr George Farrugia, fuq il-paġna tal-Facebook tad-Dipartiment tal-Malti tal-Università.


Saturday, November 23, 2013

ANTHOLOGY OF TOP TEN POETS IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA

I have recently received from my friends in Romania, Nadia-Cella Pop and Dragos Barbu, this trilingual anthology of the top ten poets in contemporary China, published by The Earth Culture Press. This 130 page book has a Preface written by Romanian poetess Nadia-Cella Pop (also the book's compiler), entitled "Originality and lyrical creativity in the transition of feeling". The translation from Chinese to English is by Zhang Zhizhong (China) and other translators, and the translation from English to Romanian is by Dragos Barbu himself. 

The ten Chinese poets in question are Yang Lian (born 1955, Bern, Switzerland, but grew up in Beijing), Aerdingfu Yiren (1962, born in the Qinghai Province), Zhu Likun (1964, born in Xiangtan County in the Human Province), Diablo (1965, real name Zhang Zhi, born in Fenghuang Town in the Sichuan Province), Ma Ke (1966, lives in Ningbo, in the Zhejiang Province), Xu Jiang (1967, born in Tianjin), A Mao (1967, the only poetess in this anthology, a professional writer of Wuhan Municipal Literary Federation), Zhao Siyun (1967, born in Yuncheng County of the Shandong Province) , Wu Tou-wen (1968, born in Chenzhou, Hunan Province) and Di Bai (1971, born in Anqing City, Anhui Province) .

What does Nadia-Cella Pop write about the ten Chinese poets?

YANG LIAN - in his poetry the reader finds "the reach to the stars, colours, questions and answers or the extinction of the beloved beings and landscapes."

AERDINGFU YIREN - "The poet's self-identification with the nature's miscellaneous images, dialogue to the being he loves, placed in an area of questions that have a shining halo leave the impression of a very fine beholder who possesses the accuracy of a sharp eye."

ZHU LIKUN - "Using comparisons and usual mementos [...] makes the branches of family tree cluster and the end of this resides in a sad song, an elegy of parting that leaves the scars of deep wounds behind."

DIABLO (ZHANG ZHI) - "Fine perceptions, innocence, passions, empathy, remorses that became lyrics marking life elements, all these lead to the first colour of the rainbow's spectrum, to the heart and blood's colour, crimson and red together."

MA KE - he gives time "a peculiar resonance, not only by its passing but its shape, light and strength. He looks to the time as to a gothic architecture, wherein people and consciences must live on the same side of their feelings. It's a metaphor with a living memory."

XU JIANG - Expresses his ideas in a brief or epic form. He "has the visual and acoustic 'sensors' for the sombre side of life" and "The poet regrets the decline of many things".

A MAO - Answers the question "how to reach the ' age of electronics' starting from the original mankind's genesis". She treats her femininity and feminine problems often from the physiology and philosophy perspective.

ZHAO SIYUN - "transposes in poetry the elements of a weird reality, speaking especially about moral matters.

WU-TOU-WEN - "Reading his poems we can feel the incumbent seclusion that approaches a sadness of mind (real or fictional). 

DI BAI - He is "the poet who discovered the charm of the Sun rising over Yellow River. As the witness of a miracle, the poet spurs his sweetheart". He invites the reader to smile again after "passing the storm". 

Poetry helps different countries with different cultures come together. Thanks to this Anthology of Top Ten Poets in Contemporary China (a Chinese-Romanian project) China is once again sharing part of its marvelous cultural heritage with the rest of the world. The book invites us readers to familiarize ourselves with this big country that has had strong relations with the Western world since old ages. 

A big thanks goes to all the translators, including Zhang Zhizhong (born 1966, Boai County of Henan Province), and Dragos Barbu (born 1974), who has translated the works of various modern poets from Greece, Serbia, the United States, Mongolia, China, Brazil, Italy, Australia, Malta and Romania.

The compiler, Nadia-Cella Pop,  is a famous Romanian poetess, born in Ariusd, 1948. She is a Master of Arts in Philosophy (Babes-Bolyai University), and her poems were published in 70 titles of poetry journals all over the world (including VERSI of the Maltese Poetry Association). She has edited 35 anthologies and her poems were translated in 20 languages, including Maltese. She is author of 5 poetry books: GANDURI DE VEGHE (1997), DIN SIMFONIA VIETII (2001), AVALANCHE OVER IMPOSSIBLE (2006), THE LORDSHIP OF THE WORLD (2007) and SHIPWRECKS DELAYED (2010).


POET'S GARDEN (2013) by Spiros K. Karamountzos

Keeping a blog like this has its advantages and satisfactions. It keeps me linked to many of my writer and poet friends not only in Malta but also abroad. I keep in touch with poets from Italy, Romania, Greece, India and Bosnia-Herzegovina, to mention some of them.

Some weeks ago I received a poetry collection from Greece named POET'S GARDEN directly from its author and poet, Spiros K. Karamountzos. It is a collection of 82 concise poems - many of them taken from his collection DEWDROPS of 2006 - together with the poem Poet's Garden taken from his collection SUNFLOWERS of 2010.

Zacharoula Gaitanaki has translated Karamountzos's poems from Greek to English and Dr. Jasvinder Singh and Dr. Shujaat Hussain (both from India) have written two critical studies, "Succinct and thought provoking poems" and  "Love Blooms in Poet's Garden of Spiros Karamountzos", respectively. Zacharoula has also written the Preface entitled, "When poetry becomes a beautiful garden open to all the people.."

Zacharoula writes that Karamountzos's poetry "is pervaded by love for the nature, people and life." She also mentions the "harmony of colours in nature" that calms us, "a wealth of words, feelings, memories and pictures [that] gains our estimation." As regards to Karamountzos's concise style Zacharoula writes: "The poet has enclosed in a few or more verses, all 'the light of words', a heartbeat, the blossoming of hope, love's words, the morning dewdrops, a double joy, an intellectual inquiry, a smile, the past and the present..." 

Dr. Jasvinder Singh writes so: "Mr. Spiros K. Karamountzos has put in all concerted efforts to endear himself through messages in his poetry on love - its nuances and its different vibes to enchant life and the very purpose of existence in this mortal world." Later on he writes that, "in these poems the poet has remarkably visualized his precision about love, beauty and universal troth in life to opportune the reader to admire the poet with an extraordinary veneration and love for him." 

Dr. Shujaat Hussain writes that POET'S GARDEN "reflects flow of Spiros thoughts knitted with the element of love, raises voice against cage and prison; a kind of feeling that turns into light wrapped into the rays of love and spreads its strong wing on the pages and attains eternity." Hussain reconfirms that Karamountzos's poetry - as does real poetry in general - "provides heavenly delight and comfort, cozy warmth to souls, soothes the minds and a medium to relieve the hearts from all sort of qualms." Hussain describes Karamountzos's style as sweet and simple, perfect, honest and without disguise. 

Spiros K. Karamountzos was born in Karya, a village in Argolida. He taught as an elementary teacher but today is retired. Some of his books are: WORDS OF KARYA with memories of his village; KNOWLEDGE LEND WINGS TO INSPIRATION (2011), where the poet is interviewed by Zacharouls Gaitanaki; and the poetry collections HALCYONS (2000), STROKES OF THE BOW (2004), DEWDROPS (2006), SHEDDING OF LEAVES (2006), SUNFLOWERS (2010) and LOOKING FOR A POET (2013).

From POET'S GARDEN:

The Poet

Now, that you planted on the earth
seeds with your name,
Poet, what else do you want?
Reflect on the harvest time.
***

Gypsy heart,
when you are in love,
you live and in a gypsies' tent.
***

Unchangeable
in saltiness of the open sea,
you will live for ever.
***

The stallion of poetry
gallops in the mind.
Unbridled.