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/

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)

Another big success for the Maltese Poets Association

Kilin at his desk

Charles Magro compering and the
hundredfold audience

On Thursday, 25th September, 2008, the Maltese Poets Association, together with the Rabat Local Council, held an evening dedicated to the late Kilin, prolific writer of poetry, short stories, novels, and more. And this thanks to a suggestion made earlier by Maltese Poets Association member, Pauline Zammit. The venue chosen was the Convent of the Dominicans in Rabat. Secretary of the MPA, Charles Magro, compered, while vice-President, Patrick Sammut, talked about the MPA activities during the years and its duty to pay tribute to well-known poets like Kilin who always helped the Association when asked to do so.

A number of MPA members read poems written by Kilin and also parts from "Fuq il-Ghajn ta' San Bastjan" and "Kappelli u Knejjes Zghar". Poet and member Therese Pace introduced Kilin's works, while Dr. Joseph Axiaq, also vice-Secretary of the MPA, read a short critical study about Kilin written by President, Alfred Massa.

Miriam Camilleri and Joanna Galea

The evening was accompanied by the music of folk singer and guitarist, Walter Micallef, and by the divine contributions of singer and MPA member, Miriam Camilleri who sang "L-Ewwel Imhabba", written by Marie Therese Vassallo - music by Frank Vassallo - (accompanied by Joanna Galea on the piano), and soprano Marie Therese Vassallo.

Walter Micallef



Marie Therese Vassallo

Mario Caruana, Therese Pace and Kilin's daughter, Rosalie Caruana, all read poems dedicated to Kilin. Agatha Zahra, another of Kilin's daughters, sang Kilin's "In-Namrat".

One of Kilin's daughters:
Agatha Zahra

The evening was closed by Rabat's Mayor, Alexander Craus, who expressed his love for books, reading, the Maltese language and writers (including Kilin), and Malta's cultural heritage. The Maltese anthem was sang by Miriam Camilleri.

Alexander Craus, Mayor of Rabat

Those present (over a hundred) were after invited to a reception.

See: www.ghpm.netfirms.com

A beautiful poem from Chile

A few days ago I received a very nice comment directly from Chile. Maritza Barreto wrote the following:

DEAR PATRICK
I´M A CHILEAN WOMAN AND TO ME ARRIVED YOUR BLOG. CONGRATULATIONES IT IS WANDERFULL. I WANT SEND YOU A POEM FOR YOUR BLOG.
Wish you peace...

Maritza sent me a poem of hers, but since I do not understand Spanish, I first asked my friend Stephen Cachia to read it and write me a short summary to describe it.
Stephen Cachia likes it so much that he even translated it in English!
So, thanks to Maritza from Chile and to Stephen from Malta... readers can appreciate this beautiful poem in both Spanish and English.

SPANISH VERSION:

La roca y la espuma
La ola y la arena
El invisible diseño que dibujas en el aire cuando vuelas
y mi precaria existencia de barca a la derivate proclaman
emperador de los mares
a ti
pelícano milenario

Lllevas en tus alas inscrito el secreto del universo.
Hasta el océano grandioso
empequeñece
y se hace espejo por
duplicar el esplendor de tu vuelo.
El aire que rasgas,
seda celeste,
cruje
gime
suavemente
con tu vuelo silencioso

y el viento de las alturas peina tus plumas prehistóricas.
Mas tú
sereno
entrecierras los ojos de membranas recibiendo la brisa placentera
que acaricia tus alas elegantes
Ni siquiera te agitas
E ignoras sabiamente
la humana emoción que me conmueve


ENGLISH VERSION:

The rock and the foam
The wave and the sand
The invisible design that you draw in the air when you fly
and my precarious existence of lost boat
proclaim you
emperor of the seas
you, oh pelican of the thousand years.

You carry in your wings the secret of the universe inscribed
Even the grand ocean
becomes small
and turns into a mirror
duplicating the splendour of your flight.
The air which you scratch
celestial silk,
crunches
moans
softly
with your silent flight.

and the wind of your heights combs your prehistoric feathers.
But you,
serenely,
lock your membrane eyes
receiving the placental breeze
that caresses your elegant wings,
you never move,
and wisely ignore
the human emotion that moves me so

Note to Maritza: Your poem is beautiful. It also gives me a sense of wide spaces and freedom. I'd like to interview you for my blog regarding the place where you live, you as a person and your relationship to poetry, nature and other things. (Patrick)

Two PEACE POEMS from India

Dear Promoters of Universal Peace

GOOD MORNING

I feel it a privilege to spread the message of Peace through peace poems on the occasion of International Day of Peace (21 September). As such, I furnish hereunder TWO of my poems exclusively composed to commemorate the International Day of Peace. It would be more effective if you can do the favor of spreading and sharing the message of peace through your mailing lists.

LET US JOIN HANDSPEACE

A global culture of peace

Should we aim to cultivate in each,

A potential force should we become

A move, the universe would welcome.

Irrespective of caste, creed and religion

Let us co-exist with love and concern,

With pride, let us hold the flags of peace

A harmonious era, let us unfold and see.

Imparting the message of peace and love

Let us pledge to be devoted and brave,

Our effort to fight for universal peace

Should scare and jolt the adverse forces.

Oh! What a delight, what a spectacle

Peace has such a delight and appeal,

Let us join hands for a genuine cause

To save humanity from conflict phase.

HOW FAR IS IT ….

The menacing clouds of war

Often pounce to create havoc,

The pigeons of peace

Scared and scattered, fly away.

The storm of hatred

The storm of enmity

The storm of death

The storm of destruction,

These devastating forces

Design the ugly face of war.

Men or women

Children or youth

Aged or the sick

Rich or the poor;

The ferocious WAR

Without care and concern

Without pity or parity

Extends its biased hand

Against the co-humans.

Ignoring the path of truce

The will and wish

Of the super powers

Ultimately would prevail.

It is the co-human

Who bears the brunt?

It is an act inhuman

That should be denounced.

On whom …

Should the blame be put?

On whom ….

Should the outcome be focused?

How far is it justified ….

To instill fear among citizens

To enforce self-declared laws

To massacre the innocents

To rain bombs on civilians

To create mass destructions

To treat civilians as criminals

To aggressively destabilize nations?

PS : If time permits, you may post comments on the poems

Poetically YoursDr. T. Ashok Chakravarthy, Litt.DH.

No. 16-2-836/L, Plot-39Madhavnagar, Saidabad

HYDERABAD - 500 059 [AP] INDIA

http://www.apoetsconcern.blogspot.com/

Kumment pozittiv dwar dil-blogg

Il-poetessa Therese Pace ghadha kemm baghtitli dawn il-messaggi:

Kumment 1: Dhalt nara ftit il-blog tieghek u veru kien fih x'tara. Ghadni ma rajtx kollox, tajtu daqqa t'ghajn fuq fuq u nerga' nidhol il-lejla biex niflih sew. Hemm hafna artikli interessanti imma l-ewwel li harist kien ghar-rapport ta' Ravenna. Milli jidher kellkom esperjenza sabiha hafna. Prosit. Issa gibuha fuq il-gazzetti kollha biex min ma jridx ukoll ikollu jaraha!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ghad irrid naqra sew l-intervista ma' dak il-professur Rumen. Veru ghandek kuntatti interessanti int. Dwar l-intervista tieghi harget tajba imma dejjem nghid jien fejn haddiehor jien farka. Dwar it-tnejn Awstraljani nistqarr li qatt ma kont smajt bihom avolja Karkarizi. Biex tara kemm jiswa blog hekk.
Tislijiet u prosit mill-gdid
Therese

Kumment 2: Xtaqt inzid ma ta' qabel biex tkun taf kemm hu siewi u segwit il-blog tieghek. Minnu dahlu sitta fis-sit tieghi wara li ppostjajt l-intervista tieghi, u dawn mill-Korea, Argentina, America. Spanja u lussemburgu.
grazzi
Therese

Therese Pace intervistata

I came to know poet and writer Therese Pace from B'Kara during one of the Poetry Evenings organized regularly by the Maltese Poets Association. This means that I knew her even before she published her winning (and first) poetry anthology, Arpeggi, back in 2003. What I can say about Therese Pace is that her poetry is real and that she is one of the best female poetical voices here in Malta. Her poetry in Maltese, English and Italian is published and acknowledged in Malta but also abroad. And yet as a person she is so humble. Therese Pace, keep it up and best of luck. Visit her website: www.freewebs.com/theresepace

Xi tgħid Therese Pace dwar l-opportunitajiet li joffru għaqdiet bħall-GhPM?

Huma ta' siwi kbir lill-letteratura u għalhekk ta' min jinkoraġġihom u jsostnihom moralment u anki finanzjarjament biex ikomplu jrendu l-frott. Huma l-benniena tal-poeta-tarbija, il-vetrina fejn min għadu qiegħed isib saqajh fix-xena letterarja jista' jesponi xogħlijietu għall-gost u l-kritika kostruttiva. Huma nixxiegħa ta' riżors uman ħeġġien, promoturi senza interessi tal-kelma miktuba, grupp fejn wieħed jitgħallem mill-ieħor, speċjalment mill-poeti diġa stabbiliti u fejn permezz tal-konkorsi annwali li jorganizzaw, wieħed ikun jista' jevalwa f'liema stadju wasal u x'inhuma l-ingredjenti ta' poeżija tajba. Mingħajrhom tħossok iżolat għax huma sors ta' kuraġġ għall-poeti emerġenti, jgħinuk tegħleb kull sens ta' nferjorità u temmen fik innifsek. Jgħinuk bil-pariri u bl-esperjenza tagħhom meta tiġi biex tippublika l-ewwel darba u mhux hekk biss iżda apparti l-appoġġ morali jgħallmuk ukoll (għax imġarrba) saħansitra kif issib suq għall-prodott tiegħek, ħaġa li kull min jippublika jaf kemm hi diffiċli. Dan il-benefiċċju kollu u iktar nista' ngħid li ħadtu jien stess kemm ili membru. Infatti tista' tqis li din l-istess intervista hija eżempju ċar u kontinwazzjoni ta' dan.

X'taħseb dwar l-opportunitajiet li joffri l-internet lil poeti bħalek?

L-internet bla dubju huwa għodda effiċjenti, irħisa, komda u fuq kollox effettiva li tippermetti lil nies bħali li l-mezzi tagħħhom u l-firxa fejn jimirħu huma limitati, jistgħu jmiddu riġlejhom ukoll barra minn xtutna. Li ma kienx għalih żgur li l-pass modest li s'issa għamilt ma kienx ikun possibbli. Għandek id-dinja tmiss mal-ponot ta' subgħajk, opportunitajiet ġodda bla limitu x'tisfrutta, udjenza pronta biex tisimgħek u tevalwak b'mod dirett, insomma lok faċli fejn issib nies bl-istess interess tiegħek u b'kulturi differenti biex magħhom tagħmel skambji elettroniċi ta' ħsibijiet u kultura.. Illum anki kotba sħaħ tista' tpoġġi fuq l-internet u tkun ippublikajt mingħajr ebda spejjeż. Ngħid għalija nfittex li nieħu kemm nista' minn din il-possibilità.

Naf li ħafna mill-poeżiji tiegħek issibhom imferrxin fuq siti elettroniċi differenti. Semmi ftit minn dawn is-siti fejn wieħed jista' jsib il-kitbiet tiegħek.

Il-kitbiet tiegħi nipprova nesportahom kemm nista' għax huma l-vuċi tiegħi u min jisma' lilhom isir jaf li neżisti. X'uħud mis-siti elettroniċi fejn wieħed jista' jsib il-poeżiji tiegħi huma www.freewebs.com/theresepace, http://www.ghpm.netfirms.com/, patrickjsammut.blogspot, european poetry in motion, write me a metaphor, http://www.larioinpoesia.blogspot.com/, ecumenical world patriarchate, tra le parole e l'infinito, poetry malta, Bottega letteraria u oħrajn.

Naf li inti tikteb bil-Malti, bl-Ingliż u bit-Taljan. X''vantaġġi għandu l-poeta meta jikteb b'ilsna differenti?

Nikteb b'dawn il-lingwi għax inħossni komda fihom f'dak il-mument u mhux għal xi vantaġġ partikolari. Huwa fatt, però li inti tkun qed twessa' l-medda ta' fejn timraħ u forsi b'hekk tista' tkattar l-opportunitajiet ta' għarfien u ssib niċċa skond l-istil partikolari tiegħek. Iżda mhux bilfors. Donnu li kull pajjiż, minkejja kollox, għandu l-istil l-iktar imħaddem tiegħu u poeżija ma tintogħġobx l-istess f'pajjiżi differenti. Nazzarda ngħid li t-Taljani għadhom xi ftit iktar konservattivi minn ħaddieħor fejn tidħol il-poeżija. Min-naħa l-oħra, fir-Renju Unit illum titħaddem iktar il-poeproża. Għalhekk tagħmel tajjeb li tifrex djulek kemm tista' għax iktar għandek ċans li għeruqek jaqbdu fis-sod.

Liema huma t-temi ewlenin li tittratta fil-poeżiji tiegħek? X'forom metrici u prosodiċi tħaddem l-iktar?

Temi soċjali u poeżiji deskrittivi nħobbhom ħafna, l-element reliġjuż jinħass qawwi wkoll fil-kitbiet tiegħi, imbagħad ir-romantiku ma jonqosx speċjalment l-imħabba bejn id-diversi ġenerazzjonijiet li tista' tgħid hija l-ħolqa li tifforma l-katina tal-ħajja. L-element tal-maternità -wara kollox jien mara u omm. Inħossni komda ħafna nuża' l-vers ħieles, mhux għal kollox imma, għax inħoss li hu dover tiegħi li kultant nerġa' lura minn fejn tlaqt billi ndaħħal ir-rima talanqas 'l hawn u 'l hinn biex nagħti melodija isbaħ lill-poeżija. Għax poeżija hija melodija. Meta mbagħad inkun qed nittratta tema jew persuna speċjali bla ma rrid arani ndur għall-poeżija tradizzjonali. Dik hija mmortali u għandha postha dejjem. L-iktar, il-vers endekasillabu jew tat-tmienja, għax jinstemgħu ħelwin, mexxejja u melodjużi ħafna. Bħala prosodija il-kwartina u t-terzina li daż-żmien qed tintuża ħafna. Ma jfissirx imma li ma nħaddimx forom oħra wkoll.

L-ewwel ġabra poetika tiegħek ARPEĠĠI kienet ippremjata mill-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb. X'ifisser dan għalik?

Li jkollok l-ewwel attentat ta' pubblikazzjoni tiegħek ippremjat bl-iktar premju ta' prestiġju li jeżisti f'Malta ma jistax jonqos milli jagħtik sodisfazzjon kbir u jagħmillek kuraġġ biex tkompli tikteb u tippubblika. Jurik li għallinqas qbadt id-direzzjoni t-tajba u jħeġġek biex tkompli miexi 'l quddiem waqt li ttejjeb. Ifisser li hemm barra sibt min apprezza l-fatt li għad li l-edukazzjoni tiegħi kienet bażika, minn dak li ħadt, għaraft inrodd lura xi ħaġa pożittiva u fuq kollox ta' ċertu valur letterarju. Ta' dan nirringrazzjahom. Iġġħielni nistinka iktar biex lil min ra xi ftit tat-talent fija issa nagħtih raġun. Mill-bqija trid iżżomm saqajk ma' l-art.

Minn fejn u meta twieled l-interess tiegħek fil-poeżija u fil-kitba in ġenerali?

L-interess fil-poeżija nħoss li twieled miegħi. Dak tal-kitba inġenerali żviluppa iktar tard. Ta' età ċkejkna kont irreċtajt poeżija ta' għoxrin strofa bl-amment fuq il-palk ta' l-iskola għall-ħabta tal-Milied u mort tajjeb ħafna.. Dejjem nafni naqra l-poeżiji u kull fejn immur inġorr il-ktieb miegħi. Barra minn hekk il-kurunelli li kienet tgħid ommi kull fil-għaxija minn dejjem affaxxinawni bir-rima tagħhom. Kienu l-ewwel poeżiji li smajt fuq ħoġor ommi u nħoss li kienu ta' spunt qawwi għalija biex nibda nikteb. Kif kien ukoll il-Pronostku Malti li ma kont infalli qatt milli nixtri meta joħroġ. Dan l-aħħar ktibt ukoll xi novelli bil-Malti, żewġ drammi b'att wieħed bl-Ingliż u lirika għal oratorju lil Sant'Elena li għad irid jiġi mmużikat. Ktibt ukoll leġġenda, imma din ħafna snin ilu.

X'tissuġġerixxi lil min irid ikollu suċċess bħala kittieb jew poeta?

Ġenwinità. Li l-ewwel nett jaqra ħafna kitbiet ta' poeti stabbiliti, li josserva ħafna u jixtarr ħafna għax b'hekk jagħti lewn u varjanzzjoni lill-ħsieb tiegħu meta jiġi biex jikteb. Li jimxi bil-pass tiegħu għax inkella jaqta' nifsu. Imbagħad li ma jaqtax qalbu mill-kritika għax il-kritika hija għodda essenzjali biex tistabbilixxi l-livell li trid tilħaq u biex tagħraf l-isfidi ta' quddiemek. Li jkun oriġinali kemm jista', u joħloq xi tip ta' timbru li jiddistingwieh minn ħaddieħor. Għall-kumplament taħseb il-muża.

Qatt ipparteċipajt f'xi proġett marbut mal-kitba ta' nisa esklussivament?

Proġetti straordinarji le. Ħadt sehem f'xi konkorsi li kienu miftuħa biss għan-nisa, sew fl-Ingilterra kif ukoll fl-Italja, f'iljieli ta' qari f'Malta ddedikati lin-nisa u fi programm letterarju fuq ir-radju min-nisa għan-nisa.

Proġetti futuri?

L-iktar proġett qarib huwa ktejjeb ta' Taħriġ il-Fehem għall-istudenti li ħejjejt flimkien man-neputija li hija għalliema tal-Malti fi skola Sekondarja. Mistenni li jiġi varat fi żmien il-fiera tal-ktieb. Qed naħdem ukoll fuq antoloġija poetika bl-Ingliż għax inħoss li tista' twasslek fejn l-antoloġija bil-Malti, minħabba r-restrizzjoni ta' l-istess lingwa, ma setgħetx tasal. Ta' wara jafu Alla.

An interview with poet Dorin Popa, Romania

I came to know Dorin Popa for the first time thanks to some photographs he sent through internet of Christmas (2007) in Iasi. And this, again, through my contacts with Teresinka Pereira. Last May/June I went on an educational visit to Iasi but could not meet Prof. Popa because we were both busy with other things. However, I managed to give him a set of poetry books written by the members of the Maltese Poets Association.

Prof. Dorin Popa was available from the first e-mail I sent him. He was delighted when I sent him the following questions to answer.


1. As a poet do you believe that there is a place where things are not "cracked, dull and decayed"? How do you react to people saying that poets are only dreamers?

D.P.: When I was younger, I thought such a place couldn’t exist. I thought that indeed everything is "cracked, dull and decayed" in this world. Back then, although I believed in love, I couldn’t picture and I couldn’t really understand the heavenly power of love. I did not know that love could even revive the dead people. I think the place you’re asking me about is in the hearts and souls of people. Of all people, not just of those of poets. I do not look like Don Quijote, although I respect him very much and I think he is still traveling among us. Poetry can be our continous proposal, our response to the challenges of reality. And this proposal can be suave, inquiring, friendly or devoid of any rigidity and authoritarianism. Although I believe in poetry, I do not believe in poets. I've never looked in the mirror telling myself that I am writing poems. Poetry is rather a fault, than a jubilation to me.

2. In one of your poems you write: "I want to run away". Run away from what?

D.P.: Run away from my guilt, my childhood, my youth, from everything that I was and I didn’t like to be. I gathered and kept a lot of perplexities about me, during my childhood and youth. I felt like I could have wings, whose extent I could not measure and whose existence I could not approximate. I want to get rid of all my faces that I have not liked.

3. Why is it that poets wish that their poems be published in different languages? In which languages do you directly write your poetry?

D.P.: In Romanian. I write my poems in my native language. Your question about the poets’ wish to be published in different languages is so deep that it could support several levels of response.
1. First of all, there is a joy of communication and meeting with each other.
2. Then, there’s the desire to find out if you are compatible with this world, not only with the world of your own language. When I first sent poems to literary competitions in France, I was less interested in the awards, but in the fact that I can come close to people from other geographical and linguistic spaces, to whom I have something meaningful to say. They could comprehend me and my world, they accept me and my thoughts. This was the first sign showing that I’m not living outside this world, outside its sensitivity – an enormous and positive emotion that I always feel.After communism - when no one could communicate with anyone - all of a sudden, after 1990, I could communicate with this world. I found it fantastic and this emotion never leaves me since then.

4. How important is it for poets to have contacts with other poets all over the world?

D.P.: First, we have the human contact that can be many times awesome. I could not get out of Romania until the age of 40, when I was invited to attend a congress in Portugal where I met leading poets - among them Wole Soyinka, Nobel Prize laureate in 1986. I was going to meet him again after 10 years, in 2005, with the occasion of another important conference in Medellin, Colombia. Albert Camus took a dislike to poets who considered themselves damned. I am not a lover of poets who think they can write poetry in every moment of their existence – from Monday to Sunday. Poetry cannot be achieved and touched in any/every moment of our lives. Most of the cases it’s better to be reluctant against the quality of the poetry that introduces itself too fast. Likewise against the poets who seem to write effortless.

5. As a poet but also as a human being, what are the questions that torment you most? Is there a solution or an answer for them?

D.P.: I have always been fascinated by the infinite opportunities to fool yourself, to lie to yourself, to be blinded by yourself and your "unique" solutions. I believe in every person’s chance to advance, to grow as much as, to cry peccavi and to try it back. Do you think we can ever make a new departure after the moment of birth?

6. Is poetry for you a play on words or does it have to carry a message?

D.P.: Poetry it's a play on words, but on those words expressing the truth. The message, if any, may come solely after the play on words. Not before. Otherwise, poetry disappears in science or politics, ideology, etc.

7. Life and death are 2 words which you often use in your poetry. Why so? What else does poet Dorin Popa write about?

D.P.: I think I started to get close to life and death exactly by using these words – life and death. I might have used them at first unwittingly, wishing to capture everything important. Perhaps I use the word life and the word death more often today precisely because I want to get closer to my death and my life. Actually, one of my obsessions is the fear of loosing them both, of not being truly alive to any of them. I can only write about the depredation that reality carves out in my soul.

8. You are a teacher at the Journalism Dept of Cuza Univ. in Iasi. Is there a common factor which unites the teacher, the journalist and the poet?

D.P.: I always wanted to hide to my students the fact that I’m writing poetry. Anyway, I never talked about poetry at classes and seminars. It seems to me, likely wrong, this is just a matter of mine, intimate, unworthy of being brought up. Therefore, even this year, a graduate confessed that she did not know, all along the years of study, that I write lyrics. This is a problem that I dare to get close to only now. Not to consider poetry a failure, an eczema, an excrescence or an invalidity of my being. Only now, after 50 years, I’m trying to face up to the fact that yes, I write lyrics. I was a journalist for many years and that helps me a lot as a teacher. I think the poet inside is helping me nothing but to love my students, to experience a deep brotherhood beyond any reasons of age, status etc.

9. Describe in brief: a. Dorin Popa as person; b. the city you live in.

a. Associate Professor, Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Faculty of Letters, University Al.I.Cuza, Iasi. Ph.D. in Humanities, specialty Philology. Master of Journalism. B.S. in Physics. Peer evaluation expert of the Romanian National University Research Council (CNCSIS, 2004-present) and the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS, 2007-present), the Socio-Human and Economics Sciences Committee.He has published 7 books in the field of Journalism and Communication, over 20 volumes of poetry (original and in translation in over 10 languages) and 3 volumes of interviews with great Romanian personalities. He has been invited to numerous prestigious international festivals (Medellin / Colombia, Chile, London / UK, Havana / Cuba, Los Angeles / USA) and organized 2 international congresses in Romania. He was editor, secretary general, editor-in-chief and deputy chief editor at the magazine Dialogue of the University "Al. I. Cuza "(1979-1983), editor-in-chief at Time magazine, Iasi (1990), editor of the publishing house of the "Al. I. Cuza” University, Iasi (1990-1992), first editor (columnist) at the Contemporanul magazine, Bucharest, pathronized by the Romanian Ministry of Culture (1991-1999), head of the cultural department at the newspaper Monitorul / Ziarul de Iasi (1992-1997), director of the radio talk-show Comprehension’ Exercises, Radio North-East, Iasi (1998-2000). Member of the Romanian Writers Union, of AFJC (Association of Trainers of Journalism and Communication), AROSS (Romanian Association for Semioctics - founder).

b. The city of Iasi, in north-eastern Romania, was mentioned in documents for the first time by Alexandru cel Bun (Alexander the Good), being a remarkable educational centre and preserving some beautiful pieces of architecture, like Trei Ierarhi Church and the neo-Gothic Palatul Culturii (Palace of Culture) (the place where are to be found four museums: the History Museum, the Technology Museum, the Ethnography Museum and the Art Museum). Many buildings in the old city center were demolished during the Communist regime, with a few Soviet-style blocks of flats, but also some recent modern buildings, like “Petre Andrei” University or “Europa” Hotel built instead.
Many great cultural personalities have their roots in Iasi: Ion Creanga, Mihail Kogalniceanu, Gheoghe Asachi, Mihail Sadoveanu, Octav Bancila and so on.
The local authorities organize each year an extraordinary festival, in the middle of October: the festival of Iasi, called “Sarbatorile Iasiului”. This is also the time of a religious pilgrimage at Saint Parascheva’s relics. Sometimes there come even a million persons from our country and from abroad.

POEMS OF DORIN POPA:

MY DEATH - MY LIFE

had things not hit me
with such fury
I might not have seen them
I might have never cared about
them
my sadness - my joy
sometimes I am allowed to see
how evil mingles with good
how from their combination
everything comes to life
my death - my life
I would have never found the way to you
if I hadn’ t wandered about
if so many nights hadn’ t blinded me
if I hadn’ t found comfort in loneliness
sometimes in the middle of the tempest
deep silence overwhelms me
and while I am hit, battered and slashed
I can see in silence
how my death feeds my life

DUST AND ASHES

“There is a worm hidden in the Cosmos”

( Constantin Noica )

even though things are stained

in wonder I notice:

they are still getting further stained
no one ever stops,

no one ever advances.

once

very closely

a pure sound passed

those that can still hear it

hasten to forget it

STORIA D´AMORE

( SCELGO SEMPRE TE )

quando stramazzavo credevo di innalzarmi

ero malato, incantato dai miei propri confini

una voce di dentro - straniera - mi sussurava

che dentro era fuori, mentre il fuori si trovava

profondamente dentro.

poi ti ho scorto per la prima volta

molto dopo che ti avevo stretto fortemente in braccio

il mio pensiero ti ha scelto ed io scelgo sempre te.

ogni momento scopro di vivere dentro di te ma

me ne allontano per non perderti.

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/

A memorable visit to RAVENNA

In the Basilica of St. Francis (Friday, 19 th Seotemper 2008)

(Left to right: Walter Della Monica, Patrick Sammut,

Prof. Alessandro Gentili and Alfred Palma)

Alfred Palma and Patrick Sammut in front

of Dante Alighieri's tomb in Ravenna

Poet and translator Alfred Palma, together with poet and literary critic Patrick Sammut, last Saturday afternonn retrurned to Malta from Ravenna where, earlierlier this year, Palma was invited by the Centro Relazioni Culturali to visit Ravenna to add Malta's name to those of the other countries which have Dante's Divina Commedia translated in their own tongue. Palma and Sammut were very cordially received; they visited the Comune, were they were presented with a bronze medal, to then tour this lovely mediaeval town, paying a memorable visit to Dante's tomb, annexed to the Basilica of San Francesco. Here, last Friday evening, before a large audience, Palma and Sammut were interviewed by Professor Alessandro Gentili of Madison University (Firenze). Palma was asked questions regarding his Maltese translation, whilst Sammut was questioned about Dante's influence and fortune in Malta over the years. After a reading in Italian of Canto II of Il Purgatorio, Palma, visibly moved, read out his version in Maltese, to be greeted with a long round of applause. Then, Palma and Sammut were honoured with the prestigious trophy Lauro Dantis and a beautiful diploma in parchment form. The two authors were then invited to a reception , with other distinguished guests who had attended this memorable evening in Ravenna, where Malta and the Maltese language were given the honour they always deserved!

See also: http://www.centrorelazioniculturali.it/

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

Un invito da COMO

Proprio oggi ho ricevuto da COMO questo invito:

Gentili Amici Poeti Maltesi,

ho avuto modo di leggere qualche tempo fa alcune delle vostre poesie, sull'Antologia 'I silenzi della montagna e le voci del mare' - Antologija Poetika Malta-Italia (a cui anch'io ho partecipato, con la mia poesia "A nuova vita" - pag 17)

Conoscendo il vostro amore per la poesia e per la mia terra,
vorrei invitarvi a visitare la mia città (COMO) ed il suo lago (LARIO) in immagini e poesie:

www.comoinpoesia.com
www.larioinpoesia.blogspot.com

Se qualcuno di voi amici poeti ama il lago e vuole dedicare al Lario i suoi versi (anche scritti in lingua inglese), me li può inviare:
saranno subito, e con molto piacere, pubblicati in web.

Un cordiale saluto.
Luciana Bianchi Cavalleri
redazione www.comoinpoesia.com

Il mondo della poesia apre degli orizzonti e delle frontiere illimitati. Grazie mille a Luciana Bianchi Cavalleri!

A new poem

I wrote this poem last week after watching on DVD the film "Shooting Dogs". Maltese-Australian novelist Lou Drofenik described it as graphic and sad; graphic in the sense that the descriptions in the poem are very vivid, a bit "In your face". "And war being war, that's what they ought to be, not some prissy metaphor covering the truth. Yes the truth of war is graphic and horrible."

RWANDA 1994

Corpses drop from the sky like black ash
and fill the orphaned roads with death.
Roots feed on human blood
dogs feast on human flesh
brothers cut brothers with machetes
no need for guns
butchers butcher human meat
drums beat beat beat…

They cheer and sing and wave their
arms armed with death once more
They wait in fear for their hour to come
some pray, others in despair…

Africa!
Famine, Aids and sickness
are not enough
to kill your children.
Civil war and genocide are there to
guarantee humiliation for all…

Tears not ink, blood not love,
hate not life, arms not bread,
dirt not grass, beast not man,
death not hope…

Thank God we’re miles apart
Thank God we’re not like them (is that so?)
Thank God we’re so pissed up with routine…

Joe Saliba - poeta Malti fl-Awstralja

JOE SALIBA twieled Birkirkara, Malta, fis-26 ta' Jannar 1941 minn Gerald u Giovanna mwielda Vella. Hu wiehed minn sebat ahwa. Studja fl-iskola ta' l-istess rahal u fil-Liceo tal-Hamrun. Kien Emergency Teacher fl-iskola Primarja ta' l-Isla ghal sena u nofs qabel ma emigra mal-familja tieghu ghal Melbourne, Awstralja, f'Dicembru ta' l-1959. Fl-Awstralja qatta' 26 sena (1960 - 1986) jahdem bhala skrivan mal-Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission qabel ma irtira mix-xoghol. Izzewweg lil Sylvia Harris fl-1971 u ghandhom erbat itfal, Rachel (Tony, Juliette u Elysse), Reuben (Silvana), Christopher (Rita) u Jonathan. Issokta l-istudji tieghu fid-Deakin University ta’ Victoria minn fejn kiseb il-B.A. fil-Letteratura fl-1988.
Awtur tal-kotba tal-poeziji Ilhna Tar-Rebbiegha (Lux Press, Malta, 1966), Ferh, Biki u Poezija (Lux Press, Malta, 1967), Ilma (Pubblikazzjoni Privata, 1981), Lamentations Of A Happy Man (Pubblikazzjoni Privata, 1989) u Alwettiera (Spinifex Publications, Awstralja, 1997). Traduttur tal-ktieb Il-Profeta ta’ Kahlil Gibran li deher fl-antologija Driegh Ma' Driegh (Empire Press, Malta, 1971). Ko-editur u ko-awtur ta' Irjieh (Gozo Press, Malta, 1986), u ko-awtur ta' Frott Iehor (P.E.G., Malta, 1992) u Oceghanja (CD u ktieb)(Spinifex Publications, Awstralja, 2001). Kontributur fl-antologiji ta' l-Ghaqda Letterarja Maltija, bl-isem Noghlew 'Il Fuq (Empire Press, Malta, 1968), 20 Rebbiegha (Lux Press, Malta, 1971), Qamar il-Hsad (Merlin Library, Malta, 1976), Merghat (P.E.G., Malta, 1987) u Xrar (Veritas Press, Malta, 1992). Rapprezentat fl-antologija Poeti Maltin (1973) migbura minn Guzè Chetcuti, fil-Vatum Consortium (Dar ta' San Guzepp, Malta, 1969) ta' Karmenu Vassallo, fl-antologija Il-Muza Maltija (Lux Press, Malta, mill-1969 'il quddiem) tal-Professur Guzè Aquilina u fl-antologija Il-Poezija Maltija (Malta University Publishers, Malta, 1996) migbura mill-Professur Oliver Friggieri.
Ghandu versi bl-Ingliz fil-gurnali religjuzi The Christadelphian (The Christadelphian Office, Birmingham, l-Ingilterra, Dicembru, 1965) u Salt Cellar (Melbourne), fil-Poetry Workshop (Council of Adult Education, Melbourne, 1971), fir-Rainbow Rising (Victorian Association of Multicultural Writers, 1987 u 1988), fil-Mattoid (Deakin University, Vol.3, 1987) u fl-antologija Awstraljana New Expressions (Poetry World, Queensland, 1989).
Il-versi tieghu dehru fis-sittinijiet fi zmien il-Moviment Qawmien Letterarju fil-pagna letterarja ta' gazzetti Maltin, fosthom Il-Berqa, Il-Poplu, It-Torca, Il-Haddiem, u L-Orizzont. Fl-Awstralja xoghlu deher fil-gazzetti The Maltese Herald u Il-Maltija.
Ghamel studji ta' diversi xoghlijiet ta' poeti Maltin-Awstraljani bhala introduzzjonijiet ghall-kotba taghhom u kiteb ghadd ta' recensjonijiet.
Il-poeziji tieghu nqraw minn fuq ir-Rediffusion u Xandir Malta fil-programmi Gabra Letterarja, Mill-Gnejna Maltija u Is-Sejha tal-Kitba, u fil-programmi Maltin tar-Radju Etniku fl-Awstralja. Irrikordja ma' poeti ohra f'Melbourne silta minn vrusu fuq kasett imsejjah Lejla Xitwija (1985). Sikwit jiehu sehem bil-qari fil-Programm Malti tar-radju komunitarju 3ZZZ.
Kummenti fuq hajtu u x-xoghol letterarju tieghu jinsabu fil-ktieb ta' Joseph Chetcuti INTERVISTI - jitkellmu kittieba Maltin-Awstraljani (Phillip Institute of Technology, Melbourne, 1985), fl-artiklu ta' Rigu Bovingdon ‘Maltese Literature in Australia’ fil-ktieb Writing in Multicultural Australia (Australia Council for the Literature Board, 1985), u fl-intervista li ghamillu Dr Barry York f'Dicembru, 1991, f'isem in-National Library of Australia bhala parti mill-Oral History biex it-tejp u d-dokumenti persunali tieghu jistghu jintuzaw ghar-ricerka. Il-bijografija tieghu bhala kittieb etniku tidher ma' dik ta' ghaxar awturi ohra Maltin-Awstraljani fil-pubblikazzjoni A Bibliography of Australian Multicultural Writers (Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 1992). Taghrif dwar hajtu u kitbietu jinsab fid-Dizzjunarju Ta’ Kittieba Maltin u Ghawdxin - Il-Bierah u Llum (Pubblikazzjoni Bugelli, Malta, 1995) u f’Maltese Achievers in Australia (Prof. Maurice N. Cauchi, 2006).
Jinteressa ruhu fil-muzika, fil-kanzunetta Maltija u fil-pittura u ghandu xi ftit xoghlijiet ta’ dilettant f’dawn l-oqsma. F’zghozitu meta kien Malta kien jiehu sehem fit-tijatrin ma’ l-Azzjoni Kattolika ta’ Birkirkara. F’dawn l-ahhar ghaxar snin fi hdan il-Harmonic 65 Culture Club/Malet ta’ Melbourne ta s-sehem tieghu bhala narratur fi produzzjonijiet muzikali ghall-palk bhalmu huma Kadanza (1998) u Malet (1999).
Fl-1995 inghata mill-Harmonic 65 Culture Club The Manoel De Vilhena Cultural Award bhala rikonoxximent tal-kontribut letterarju tieghu.
Membru tal-Maltese Literature Group - Grupp Letteratura Maltija (Awstralja).

L-INTERVISTA

1. X'inhi r-relazzjoni ta' Joe Saliba u l-Awstralja llum? U xi tfisser Malta ghal min jinsab fil-pozizzjoni tieghek?

Jiena ili hawn kwazi 50 sena. Gejt fl-ahhar ta’ l-1959 meta kelli biss tmintax-il sena. Ma nistax nitkellem u nghid xi jhossu l-emigranti Maltin l-ohra. Il-pozizzjoni tieghi hija ferm differenti minn taghhom. Wara sentejn li kont ili hawn biddilt ir-religjon u sirt membru ta’ religjon nisranija ohra bl-isem ta’ Christadelphians, jigifieri “Ahwa fi Kristu”. Allura hwejjeg li l-emigranti Maltin huma mdorrijin bihom u li komplew jipprattikaw hawnhekk ma baqghux parti minn hajti, nghidu ahna, il-festi, il-purcissjonijiet u t-twemmin Kattolku. Il-knisja tieghi saret il-Bibbja u l-istudju taghha.
Ghalkemm fl-1971 izzewwigt mara Ingliza u sirt missier ta’ erbat itfal li ma jafux jitkellmu bil-Malti, il-kultura Maltija dejjem bqajt inhobbha u napprezzaha, hlief meta din tithallat ma’ kurrenti ekklesjastici li huma kontra dak li tghallimni l-Iskrittura.
Fil-passat kont nahseb li fid-dinja mhemmx isbah jew aqwa minn Malta. Aktar ma ghadda zmien u zort hafna mkejjen fl-Awstralja, aktar indunajt kemm kienet fqira u pwerili l-idea materna tieghi dwar Malta.

2. F'liema attivitajiet jew ghaqdiet jew inizzjattivi inti impenjat fil-prezent?

Minhabba l-mard serju tal-qalb li ghandi bhalissa m’ghadnix niehu sehem bhal qabel f’attivitajiet letterarji. Meta nkun mhux hazin dejjem nipprova nattendi ghal-laqghat ta’ darba fix-xahar li ttella’ l-ghaqda taghna “Maltese Literature Group -- Grupp Letteratura Maltija”. F’dawn il-laqghat naqraw ix-xoghlijiet taghna ta’ proza u poezija, jew xoghlijiet haddiehor. Kull sena f’Settembru naghmel minn kollox biex niehu sehem mal-membri tal-Grupp meta nipprezentaw “Lejla Muziko-Letterarja” ghall-pubbliku waqt il-festi nazzjonali li naghmlu hawn fil-Victoria.

3. Fil-belt fejn tghix il-Maltin (u anki komunitajiet ohrajn) kemm jiehdu interess fil-letteratura?

Il-letteratura serja qatt ma kienet haga apprezzata minn kulhadd. Hekk ukoll fl-Awstralja qalb il-Maltin u nazzjonijiet ohrajn. Fil-kaz taghna anki l-ilsien taghna qed ibati fit-thaddim tieghu. L-ghadd ta’ studenti li jridu jitghallmu l-Malti qieghed dejjem jonqos minkejja li ghandna skejjel li qeghdin jaghmlu minn kollox biex il-Malti ma jintesiex f’dan il-kontinent. Meta jonqsu l-kittieba li hawn bhalissa jidher li l-letteratura miktuba tisparixxi. Haga interessanti huwa l-fatt li l-bicca l-kbira tal-Maltin t’hawnhekk aktar jiffullaw biex jisimghu l-ghana folkloristiku Malti milli l-qari tal-poezija.

4. Xi tghid dwar il-kittieba Maltin fl-Awstralja llum? Min huma u x'qed jinkiteb?

F'Mejju ta' l-1992 l-Università ta' Deakin fil-Victoria harget ktieb jismu "A Bibliography Of Australian Multicultural Writers". Ir-ricerka ghal dil-pubblikazzjoni bdiet daqs 20 sena qabel. Fl-Universitàà ta' Deakin tinzamm sezzjoni ta’ kotba etnici.
Il-kittieba multikulturali jitqiesu hekk fuq il-kriterji li dawn ikunu twieldu fl-Awstralja jew barra, li m’humiex Aborigini, u li jkunu gejjin minn razza fejn il-lingwa primarja m'hix l-Ingliz.
Il-Biblijografija ta’ 291 pagna tigbor fiha aktar minn 900 awtur li bejniethom ippublikaw xoghol fi 38 lingwa. Il-kittieba li xi whud minnhom huma tat-tielet generazzjoni jiffurmaw madwar 100 grupp etniku.
Niehu gost insemmi li numru sabih ta' awturi Maltin jidhru f'dal-ktieb. Dawn huma, f'ordni alfabetika, Joe Abela, Baldass Armato, Rigu Bovingdon, Manwel Cassar, Maurice Cauchi, Gorg Chetcuti, Joseph Chetcuti, Albert Marshall, Rosanne Musu, Manwel Nicholas-Borg, Joe Saliba u Barry York.
Fl-antologija ta’ mitt poeta Malti mghammda “Il-Poezija Maltija” il-Professur Oliver Friggieri ghogbu jinkludi lill-poeti Manwel Cassar, Joe Saliba, Joe Abela, u Gorg Chetcuti.
Ma’ dawn l-awturi Maltin fl-Awstralja nixtieq inzid ohrajn sinifikanti bhal Manuel Casha, Joe Axiaq, Pauline Curmi, Valentin Barbara, Fredu Cachia, Frank Zammit, Albert Agius u Lou Drofenik.
Mis-sittinijiet lil hawn dawn il-kittieba hargu pubblikazzjonijiet individwali jew dehru f’antologiji ma’ ohrajn, b’xoghlijiet ta’ poezija, proza, studji dwar l-emigrazzjoni tal-Maltin fl-Awstralja, novelli, rumanzi, kummentarji socjali, gurnalizmu, versi ghat-tfal, traduzzjonijiet, lingwistika, l-ghana folkloristiku taghna u xoghlijiet ghall-palk. Sittax mill-kittieba li semmejt hargu xoghlijiet ghalihom.

5. Naf li l-Maltin ghandhom ukoll il-programmi tar-radju u anki l-gurnali taghhom. Xi tghid dwar dawn?

Iva, ghandna l-programmi bil-Malti fuq ir-radju etniku. Ghandna programmi komunitarji mmexxija minn volontieri u programmi mhallsa mill-Gvern Awstraljan. Meta bdew dawn il-programmi fis-sebghinijiet kont aktar akkanit fuqhom milli jiena llum. Kienet xi haga gdida! Nghidlek is-sewwa, daz-zmien ftit noqghod nismaghhom minhabba l-intietef u t-tqancic li nisma’ fuqhom. Dan jghodd ukoll ghall-gazzetta Maltija. Mitt bniedem, mitt fehma! Ghalhekk hafna emigranti Maltin jiehdu gost jaqraw u jisimghu nostalgikament dwar Malta. Bis-sahha wkoll tal-PBS ta’ Malta nistghu naraw fuq it-TV Awstraljan l-ahbarijiet u x’qed isehh f’Malta. Imma jahasra naraw abbundanza ta’ filmati fuq politka partegjana, knejjes, restawr ta’ mkejjen storici, klandestini, kmamar tan-nar jisplodu, eccetra, u ftit li xejn xi haga fuq kotba u letteratura. Imma hawn qed nahseb biss fija nnifsi u f’dak li nhobb u nghozz.

6. Iddeskrivi fi kliemek il-belt fejn tghix u ghidilna ftit kif inhi x-xitwa hemmhekk?

Id-dar taghna tinsab fit-tramuntana tal-belt ta’ Melbourne, gos-subborg ta’ Campbellfield, daqs 20 kilometru minn Melbourne magenb il-fabbrika kbira tal-karozzi ta’ Ford. Qrib sewwa taghna m’ghandnix ferroviji u min m’ghandux karozza tieghu jista’ juza l-karozzi tal-linja. Fit-triq taghna, jew ahjar sqaq, ghandna nies ta’ aktar minn seba’ nazzjonijiet, imma hadd m’ghandu problemi razzisti ma’ hadd. Hawn mhux bhal f’Malta; il-girien tista’ tghid lanqas tkun taf min huma u x’jisimhom. Bongu u sahha!
Bhalissa wasalna fi tmiem ix-xitwa. Ir-rebbiegha tibda f’Settembru. Ix-xitwa ta’ dawn in-nahiet m’hijiex kiefra. Qatt ma tinzel borra ghalkemm f’xi bnadi tax-xlokk ta’ l-Awstralja ghandhom is-silg u l-borra. Ix-xitwa taghna ggib maghha xi ftit aktar xita mis-soltu u ftit aktar ksieh. It-temperatura fix-xitwa hija bejn 5 u 12 C. Rari hafna meta tinzel u niffrizaw ghal xi jumejn in fila.

7. Naf li kull tant zmien tinzel Malta tippartecipa wkoll f'lejliet ta' natura letterarja. Xi tghid dwar dan u liema hija r-relazzjoni tieghek mal-kittieba u l-ghaqdiet letterarji f'Malta?

Iz-zewg darbiet li nzilt Malta kienu fl-1967 ghal sitt xhur, u dan l-ahhar fl-2006/2007 ghal erba’ xhur. Qatt ma nzilt specifikament biex niehu xi sehem f’avvenimenti letterarji. Jekk ippartecipajt ghax inzertajt kont hemm.
L-ewwel darba nzilt l-aktar biex nippublika t-tieni ktieb tieghi ta’ versi bl-isem “Ferh, Biki u Poezija”. Dan l-ahhar kont Malta sabiex niltaqa’ mal-hames hbieb tieghi li bhali kienu bidlu r-religjon Kattolka u saru Christadelphians. Inzilt biex flimkien niktbu u nippublikaw fuljetti bil-Malti ghat-tqassim minn dar ghal dar.
Id-darbtejn li nzilt dejjem qrajt xi haga fuq ir-radju jew f’xi avveniment meta jinqraw il-poeziji bhall-okkazjoni li kelli ma’ Poezijaplus. L-ahhar darba kont ixxurtjat ukoll li kont f’Malta meta rajt jinkixef fis-Siggiewi l-monument f’gieh il-poeta u l-mentor tieghi Karmenu Vassallo.
Nixtieq naghmel xi osservazzjonijiet. Meta tkun ’il boghod aktarx li tara l-affarijiet ahjar. Nosserva li meta nzilt Malta ghat-tieni darba fl-2006/2007 hasduni c-cokon tal-gzejjer taghna u l-insularità ta’ hafna individwi li ltqajt maghhom, specjalment fil-kamp akkademiku. Mix-xehta, certu poeta C. C., mill-bruda li wera lejja ghax lanqas gie jkellimni meta seta’, baqa’ ma hafrilniex ghal kif kienu pparagunati l-versi tieghu ma’ tieghi f’nofs is-sittinijiet!
Il-professur P.S. I. fl-introduzzjoni tieghu ghall-antologija tieghu bl-ghazla ta’ poeziji “mkissra” fejn kiteb indirettament li xi kittieba msefrin jippretenduha wisq u ma dahhal xejn minn taghna, possibli ghadu ma ndunax kemm jiffanfarunaw bix-xoghlijiet poetici taghhom hafna kittieba Maltin li hafna drabi jkunu ggudikata aktar fuq il-hajja taghhom u kif jghixuha milli fuq valuri u kriterji letterarji serji?
Minghajr l-ebda apologija nistqarr li jidher ukoll li f’dawn l-ahhar ghaxar snin, l-akkademici fil-qasam ta’ l-istudju tal-Malti, dejjem riedu jaghtuna l-impressjoni li kienu jemmnu li huma li vvintaw l-istudju tal-lingwa Maltija u b’hekk sfortunatament insew lil dawk li gew qabilhom u l-kontribut li taw.

POEZIJI:




















JINQERDU DAWK LI QED JEQIRDU D-DINJA

Dal-lejl ma nistax norqod
u mohhi m’ghandux kwiet;
inhossni qieghed neghreq
f’bahar ta’ hsibijiet.

Id-dlam igibli xeni
ta’ wgigh u ta’ tbatija,
ta’ qtil, imrar u diqa,
ta’ jasar u kefrija.

Jurini met’ ghal sufhom
biccirna ’l-foki z-zghar...
Baxx baxx gellidna ’s-sriedaq
b’difrejhom jarmu x-xrar...

Qtilna liz-zwiemel joghtru
jo’ mwegggha tat-tigrija...
hallejna f’nofs l-arena
lill-barri agunija...

U nfidna l-ors bil-mohbi
bil-holoq go mnifsejh
u kaxkarnieh bil-ktajjen...
accjomu nharsu lejh...

O lejl, zammejtni mqajjem
nhewden kif lill-holqien
ma harisniehx bil-ghaqal
u shetna kullimkien.

Iccaqcaq ic-canfira
tal-hlejjaq imharbtin
li bl-ahrax qed jixluna
b’hatjin, hatjin, hatjin!

U jkollna nhallsu d-danni
talli l-ambjent kasbarna,
u ninsgu l-ghajb f’kuruna
tax-xewk ghal fuq qabarna.

28.5.1999

Nota: It-titlu ta’ din il-poezija huwa
kwotazzjoni mir-Rivelazzjoni11:18.


FLIGHT PATH GHAL TULLAMARINE

Tghidlix nirkibhom, ’mma nissahhar bihom!
Filwaqt li nibza’ mit-titjir, b’dankollu
mhux darba w tnejn mort l-ajruport ghalihom...
narahom tilghin, nizlin wara xulxin.
Mur gibu lil Da Vinci kemm kien joghxa
li kellu jgarrab dak li naraw ahna
ghal hafna drabi ta’ kuljum minn triqtna.
Sikwit jghaddu minn fuqna w jinzlu wrajna.
Fl-ghaxija mis-salott nilmahhom riesqa
bil-mod mill-boghod bhal kewkba wara kewkba.
Kultant irieghdu d-dar u jhezhzu t-twieqi.
Isma’! Gej iehor kbir! Hossu jfakkarni
fis-Sur Muscat meta f’nofs il-lezzjoni
malajr fil-kuritur kien johrog jigri
mitluf jissamma’ ghall-irbumbjar biex jaqbad
wiehed ghaddej fil-baxx minn fuq l-iskola...
waqt l’ ahna t-tfal nizzuffjettaw u nwaddbu
minn bank ghal bank xi ajruplan tal-karti.

2.6.2005

MINGHAJR XIBKA

Bid-dahna ’l fuq mit-torri spiss nghaddulhom
l-ahbar li l-ghadu riesaq lejn ix-xtut.
Navzawhom jghumu biss bejn iz-zewg bnadar
u jaghlqu b’xibka l-qâla mhabba l-hut.

Izd’ huma ma jahsbux kif nahsbu ahna,
u qatt ma jaghtu kas tat-torrijiet,
tad-dhahen u t-tixjir widdieb ta’ idejna
biex ma jaqbzux il-linja u jzommu l-kwiet.

Donnhom b’kull jedd jaghmlu l-oppost apposta:
iwarrbu kliemna mat-twissijiet ta’ gid,
jithâbtu mal-kurrent barra mix-xibka,
u l-wens tad-dejma jhallu fit-taqbid.

Ghax wara kollox biex issib trid tfittex;
il-wasla mhux bilfors ghax jghinha r-rih;
ir-rebh mhux biss minn fuq is-swar jew l-igfna;
l-azzjoni taf twelidha mit-tnebbih.

B’hekk mis-salott ma nitilghux fuq l-igbla;
bil-hsieb tal-falliment ma nibnux bliet;
mill-banjijiet gol-blat ma naqsmux ibhra
li johduna niskopru l-artijiet.

Mela nqimu b’tifhir lil dawk li jbarru
kull ghazz u l-kumdità tal-garantit,
u fit-tweghir u b’kurzità bla razan
jifthulna toroq godda ghall-infinit.

20.2.2002

Intervistat il-kittieb u poeta Lino Grech

1. Lino Grech hu l-awtur ta' tliet kotba godda: rakkonti bil-Malti, rakkonti bl-Ingliz u poeziji bil-Malti. Fejn hija s-sahha ta' Lino Grech bhala generu letterarju u lingwa mhaddmin u x'inhu l-fil komuni li jghaqqad dawn it-tliet kotba flimkien?

Nahseb li l-fil li jghaqqad lit-tliet kotba huwa il-fatt li jixhtu dawl fuq il-hsieb tal-kittieb dwar dak li jigri madwaru fil-hajja. Fi kliem iehor l-esperjenzi tieghu u ta' dawk madwaru mghoddija mill-gharbiel tat-twemmin jew tifxil ta' hsibijietu. Fil-ktieb hemm tiftix konxju ghall-kelma Maltija mitkellma u ghall-qosor fil-kitba.

2. Minn fejn jitwieldu dawn il-kitbiet tieghek? Liema hu l-hin meta tippreferi tikteb?


Fuq kollox jiena nhares lejn il-hajja b'nofs tbissima li gejja minn gharfien tal-bniedem u hsibijietu hekk li l-kliem igelgel bhal nixxiegha naghzlu bejn dak li hu fieragh u dak li hu siewi biex nara sewwa l-persuna u dan il-loghob tal-kliem li jiena wkoll naghmlu jnissilli tbissima dejjiema fuq fommi u jwaqqaghni kultant f'cinizmu li diga` gejt akkuzat bih minn kritiku letterarju fil-media.

3. Bhala stili tuza ximindaqqiet il-komiku, il-parodija, imma dawk tieghek huma wkoll kitbiet b'element morali qawwi. Hemm imbaghad rakkont li jxaqleb lejn il-fantaxjentifiku (The Tunnel), iehor li johodna fi zmien l-Inkwizizzjoni u s-shahar (Non Omnis Moriar). Xi tghid dwar dan kollu?


Kien ghalliem ta' l-Ingliz meta kont ghadni s-Seminarju li hajjarni biex nikteb bl-Ingliz billi kien joghgbu hafna l-istil li kont nikteb bih. Imbaghad kien Dun Frans Camilleri, ghalliem iehor tieghi, li fetahli t-triq ghall-kitba bil-Malti.

4. Bhala ambjentazzjoni spiss naqraw dwar il-Qorti, ir-Rabat, il-Birgu jew Bormla, B'Kara, u jissemmew spiss il-kontabilita`, in-negozju u s-safar, bla ma ninsew ir-rakkont Hajja ta' Bniedem. Hemm kurrenti awtobijografici fil-kitbiet tieghek?



Il-poeziji jehtiegli niktibhom hekk li jitfasslu f' mohhi billi dawn jitwieldu minn hsieb u f'lehha jiddammew f'poezija shiha. Jekk ma inhazzizhomx mill-ewwel jintesew. Fil-kaz ta' l-istejjer, dawn jinholqu minn nitfa ta' hsieb li jkun ix-xewka ta-rakkont li mbaghad jiehu l-laham bil-mod hekk kif nifli nies ghaddejja fit-triq li jistghu jilbsu ta' karattri fl-istorja. Ta' spiss nintebah li harsti fit-tul fuq xi hadd tibda taghtih fastidju l-iktar jekk tkun mara li min jaf x'tahseb. Biss jiena nkun qed nibni dak il-hin il-karattru mehtieg fl-istorja.

5. Inhoss li zewg elementi li jispikkaw fil-proza tieghek huma l-qawwa tad-deskrizzjoni u l-gharfien ta' karattri differenti fost il-generu uman. Xi tghid dwar dan?

Barra min hekk iz-zmien li ghamilt il-Qorti laqqghani ma' bosta nies ilkoll b'xejriet u hsibijiet taghhom - tahlita li tnebbabni f'ghazla tal-bniedem li jixraq l-istorja.

6. Innutajt li fil-poeziji tieghek taghti iktar importanza lir-rima imma anki lil-livell riflessiv, milli lill-prosodija (tul ta' versi u accenti), u spiss thaddem certi licenzji poetici in extremis. Kif tirreagixxi ghal dan?


Huwa minnu u nghid li jiena hati dwar it-thaddim tal-poezija b'licenzja wiesgha bil-bosta izda kif ga ghedt il-poezija titwieled fiha lesta minghajr ma taghtini lok li nirfinaha. Sa meta kont ghadni s-Seminarju kont ktibt dwar il-poeta Taljan Pascoli li " la poesia e' un attimo fuggente nella vita del poeta che vien colto sul nascere. Pero' l'assieme di questi attimi fanno la vita del poeta". Dan ghadni nemmnu sal-lum u ghalhekk nahseb li jekk infittex li nirfina l-poezija kif giet f'mohhi nkun qieghed nitlef mis-sahha taghha kif inholqot.

Intervista ma' Paul Vella mill-Awstralja

1. X'inhi r-relazzjoni ta' Paul Vella u l-Awstralja llum? U xi tfisser Malta ghal min jinsab fil-pozizzjoni tieghek?

Meta tlaqna minn Malta ghall-Awstralja fl-1965, wara xahar li zzewwigna, jien u l-mara tieghi Salvina, minn Hal Qormi, kellna l-hsieb li naghmlu sentejn u forsi nergghu lura, minhabba li ma tantx riedet tmur l-Awstralja. Il-mara halliet warajha lill-genituri taghha u tmien hutha. Wara 15-il sena fl-Awstralja nzilna ghall-btala u l-hajja f’Malta ghogbitni u ghidt lill-mara biex nitilghu, inbieghu kollox u ninzlu lura. Qalti: “Inzel wahdek!” Matul is-snin inzilna f’Malta xi erba’ darbiet ohra, imma dejjem fittixna l-Awstralja bhala d-“dar” taghna. Kull ma ghandna ghamilnieh hawn, ghandna t-tifla taghna u z-zewgt neputijiet u allura kien xieraq li bqajna hawn. Lil Malta nhobbuha bhala art twelidna. L-Awstralja nhobbuha bhala l-art li addottatna. Ftit issib Maltin hawn li ghadhom jokorbu biex jinzlu Malta ghal kollox. U dawk li jokorbu ma jihdux dan il-pass, hafna drabi minhabba l-familja li jhallu warajhom.

2. F'liema attivitajiet jew ghaqdiet jew inizzjattivi inti impenjat fil-prezent?

Kemm jien u kemm il-mara ninsabu mdahhlin f’hafna ghaqdiet Maltin. Jiena PRO fir-Reskeon Maltese Association, wahda mill-ikbar ghaqdet tal-Maltin f’Melbourne, il-mara hi membru fil-kumitat ukoll. L-istess ghaqda bdiet ghaqda ghall-anzjani fl-1996, Reskeon Seniors Group, b’aktar minn 300 membru. Jien hu s-Segretarju u l-mara Vici Ko-ordinatur. Ahna wkoll membri fil-Kumitat tal-Grupp Letteratura Maltija tal-Victoria, li tieghu jien il-PRO. Grupp li jheggeg membri biex jiktbu bil-Malti. Darba fis-sena, norganizzaw Lejla Muziko-Letterarja. Barra minn hekk, jien ukoll xandar ta’ programmi Maltin minn fuq ir-Radju Komunitarju f’Melbourne 3ZZZ, fejn jigu mxandra programmi b’aktar minn 60 lingwa differenti. Il-Maltin ghandhom erba’ programmi u qeghdin erba’ xandara li naghtu s-servizz taghna bhala voluntieri. Il-programmi taghna huma varjati, b’ahbarijiet, marci, kanzunetti Maltin, proza u poeziji, Vangelju, intervisti u affarijiet ohra. Il-programmi taghna jistghu jinstemghu fuq is-sit http://www.3zzz.com.au/ fejn il-programmi jdumu hemm gimgha shiha u tista’ tismaghhom fi x’hin trid.

3. Fil-belt fejn tghix il-Maltin (u anki komunitajiet ohrajn) kemm jiehdu interess fil-letteratura?

Nistghu nghidu li kemm il-Maltin u anki nies ta’ nazzjonalitajiet ohra jinteressaw ruhhom fil-letteratura. Ahna l-Maltin permezz tal-Grupp Letteratura Maltija nippruvaw inhajru hafna biex jaqraw u jiktbu bil-Malti. Hafna mill-programmi Maltin hawn ikollhom qari ta’ poeziji, novelli u anki rumanzi, u s-semmiegha ghadhom juru interess kbir f’dan. Niehu gost nghid li l-Kunsill Malti tal-Victoria, ghandu librerija b’kotba bil-Malti ghas-self u din l-ikbar librerija b’kotba Maltin li hawn barra Malta.

4. Xi tghid dwar il-kittieba Maltin fl-Awstralja llum? Min huma u x'qed jinkiteb?

Ghandna hafna kittieba Maltin u forsi nsemmi ftit minnhom li ppubblikaw kotba b’poeziji u novelli, bhal Lou Drofenik, Joe Saliba, Joe Axiaq, Manwel Cassar u Manwel Nicholas Borg, illum mejjet. Barra minn hekk hemm hafna li huma gurnalisti u jiktbu fil-gazzetta Maltija t’hawn bhal Frank Sargent u anki jien ukoll. Barra li nikteb fil-gazzetta t’hawn, jien nibghat hafna materjal Malta, kemm dawk li huma ahbarijiet u artikli li dehru f’hafna gazzetti f’Malta. Jien nibghat ukoll program audio ta’ 10 minuti darba fix-xahar lir-Radju Marija, programm li jinkludi l-ahhar ahbarijiet religjuzi mill-Awstralja.

5. Naf li l-Maltin ghandhom ukoll il-programmi tar-radju u anki l-gurnali taghhom. Xi tghid dwar dawn?

Kif ghidt qabel, jiena xandar ta’ programmi Maltin hawn. Minbarra l-istazzjoni li qieghed mieghu jien hemm tliet stazzjonijiet ohra. Hafna Maltin jisimghu dawn il-programmi kemm biex ikunu jafu x’inhu jigri Malta kif ukoll biex jiehdu gost b’qari u kanzunetti Maltin. Barra minn hekk, hafna mis-semmiegha huma anzjani u jghixu wahedhom u l-programmi jkunu ta’ kumpanija ghalihom. Fil-fatt il-programm tieghi semmejtu “Qatt m’Int Wahdek” ghax jien nemmen li matul dik is-siegha, is-semmiegha jhossuhom flimkien waqt li jkunu qed jisimghu il-programm.

6. Xi tghid dwar il-Folju tal-Maltese Literature Group: Kemm ilu johrog? Kemm jigi sampat bhala kwantita`? Min hu l-mohh warajh? Liema huma l-ghanijiet tieghu? X'issib fih?

Il-Grupp Letteratura Maltija tal-Victoria johrog Folju darba fix-xahar ghall-membri kollha. Il-Foju ilu johrog is-snin u ma nistax nghid kemm ilu ghax kien isir qabel dhalt membru jien. Imma forsi jekk tiftakar li wasalna ghall-harga numru 150, avolja issa qed isir darba kull xahar imma qabel kien darba kull xahrejn, allura forsi tinduna li ilu jsir snin twal. Bhalissa dan il-Folju qed niehu hsiebu jien. Qabli kienu jiehdu hsieb zewg membri ohra, Joe u Rose Lofaro. Issa ili naghmlu ftit snin sewwa. L-ghan ta’ dan il-folju hu li nzommu lill-membri taghna infurmati b’dak li jkun qed isir fil-grupp, kif ukoll jien nipprova ndahhal l-ahhar ahbarijiet dwar il-lingwa Maltija li nircievi minn Malta. Jiena membru tal-Forum “Kelmet” u minn niehu hafna infurmazzjoni dwar dak li jkun qed jigri fil-lingwa Maltija. Dejjem nircievi ghajnuna siewja minghand Sergio Grech, Joe Borg, Manwel Mifsud, Oliver Friggieri u Patrick Sammut, kemm f’dak li hu materjal kif ukoll ahbarijiet fuq il-lingwa u meta jkolli xi mistoqsija. Barra li nistampawh ghall-membri tal-grupp, jien niehu hsieb li nibghatu permezz ta’ emejl lil dawk li fl-opinjoni tieghi ikun ta’ interess ghalihom u jekk ikun hemm xi hadd li jixtieq jircivieh, jew informazzjoni fuq ir-radju 3ZZZ, kull m’ghandhom jaghmlu hu li jiktbuli fuq polvel@connexus.net.au

Zewg poeziji ta' Paul Vella:

HSIEB

Kull meta nizbor is-sigra fix-xitwa
Waqt lejha inhares, lil qalbi jien nghid:
“X’tahseb? Id-diehla nizborha?”
Jew jilhqu jizbruni
W jahbuni taht l-art?

Paul Vella 1-7-2006


KLIEM LI XTAQTNI NGHIDLEK

Haninti, hallini nzommok fi hdani
U nghidlek kliem helu li int dejjem xtaqt.
Kliem helu xtaqt tisma’, bhal: “Qalbi, inhobbok”.
Kliem helu li jiena qatt m’ghidtlek fil-waqt.

Kemm drabi int wrejnti li l-kelma xtaqt tisma’
Avolja li minnha kont certa maz-zmien.
Imhabbti qatt naqset, avolja qatt m’ghidtlek
Int taf illi mhabbti ghalik hi bla tmiem.

U issa l-hin wasal ha nghidlek li nhobbok
Biex xewqtek naqtaghlek, biex tisma’ il-kliem.
Habbejtek il-bierah u nhobbok ank’issa
U nhobbok ghal dejjem, haninti, bla tmiem.

Paul Vella 6-7-2006

Interview with a poet from Greece

“Poetry is a gift – Poets have blessing of God”

Zacharoula Gaitanaki was born in Athens on November
30th, 1966. She writes poems, articles, short stories,
essays and review of book.
She is a life member of the “World Academy of Arts and
Culture” / “World Congress of Poets” (which awarded her the title of the Honorary Doctor of Literature), of the IWA and a member of the “World Poets Society”.
Her poems, short stories and essays are in Anthologies, they have been
translated into English, French, Italian, Albanian, Bengali, Chinese, Korean and have won prizes in national and international literary competitions. She selected by “The International Poetry Translation and Research Centre” and the Journal of “The World Poets Quarterly” as one of “The International Best Translators 2005” and by the Literary Club “Xasteron” as “The Greek Translator of the Year 2007”.
She has published the books:
1.- “DISSIMILAR LANDSCAPES” (Poetry collection), Athens, 2001.
2.- “POTIS KATRAKIS, A PROLIFIC WRITER” (Essay), Athens 2003.
3.- “STATHIS GRIVAS – WRITING FOR LIFE - Tracking in his poetical space”
(Essay), editions “Platanos”, Athens, 2006.
e- mail: zgaitanaki@yahoo.gr
You can visit her web sites: http://homepages.pathfinder.gr/poiitikigonia
http://durabond.ca/gdouridas/Poetry%20Arkadia.html

1.What place do nature and God have in Zacharoula’s poetry?

Dear Patrick, thank you for the hospitality. We destroy the environment (the pollution, fires, wars, scarcity of water, smog, greenhouse effect etc.) We live in an unhealthy climate. We’ve spoilt everything with our behavior… So, the beauties of Nature, the nature of things, matters of general interest, legends and myths, God, love, the end of our life, are part of my poetry. Poets - with their voices - have to tell the Truth. Poets blaze a trail for a better world. I write in my poem:

THE POETS

Poets do not struggle
with bullets and knives,
they write verses, sing
and extend their hands.

They yield in inspiration
in the hours of loneliness,
they count with verses and strophes
fine weathers and storms.

Poets do not love
simply for love.
They write verses for naked bodies
before they touch them.

They are absorbed by love and swim
in love’s depths
and after, they write poems
for “the moment” that is lost…

2.Do poets write only for themselves and do give vent to their emotions and reflections or do they have a wider role in today’s society?

I believe that Poetry is a gift and the Poets have the blessing of God. But we have also a moral obligation: Poets like politicians must serve the public interest. We write not only for ourselves but for all the people.

3.Do you write poetry for art’s sake or are there other agendas behind your verses?

I write poems (short stories, novels, critic, essays too) for the creation, communication, happiness. Writing is great fun for me.

4.How do you react when people say that poets are idealists and dreamers?

“Poet isn’t a weird guy”. If he / she dreams of a new world, this isn’t a visionary dream. It’s a feasible objective.

5.Do you write poetry in Greek and then translate in English? Or do you write poetry directly in English?

I write my verses in Greek and then I translate them in English. My mother language has a rich vocabulary and I use it in my work.

6.When you write poetry do you prefer traditional and regular forms (prosody, metre, rhyme) or modern form such as blank verse?

I use “Poetry’s materials” (my poem):
“A well – dressed verse
with a red, full of freshness
and fragrance carnation on the lapel
pops out right
in the crown to dance.
Two strophes start a feast
on the white paper.
On top, an underlined title
assigns the intention of the poem.
Rhymes, words, “moments”
are valuable and invaluable
materials for a Poet
to make an emotion,
to pay off a debt
and to defeat a chimera.”

7.In your poetry you frequently write about poetry itself. You also write about yourself as a poet. Why? Does the poet depend on the readers’ judgment?

In my poetry I write about myself but I write also for you, for all the people. The readers are happy when they read a good poem or a nice story.

8.Personally I find that metaphor is a strong point in your poetry. How do you react to this? Can metaphor and sincerity / clarity of meaning go together?

Poetry is like our life. A poem with several verses is like an adventurous life or not? I think that my poetry is an extension of myself. Metaphor is a strong point and in my life. But clarity of expression is a great asset. I’ll continue with my life and poetry together…

9.Is poetry an act of love or an act of narcissism? What do people prefer today: poetry or soap – operas?

Poetry is an invaluable help in our days. Soap – operas are like artificial flowers in a garden. A flimsy life is without poetry, love, smile, colors, songs, joy…

10.How is Zacharoula as a person? How does she spend her time: career and pastimes?

I am a woman with a mild nature and a simple life. When I’m in Arcadia, I live near to the beauties of nature. I spend time with my family, my friends (poetry is a good friend for me too), my cats. Music is a good way to unwind. I hear classical and Greek folk music. Sometimes, I take refuge in books. I read many books every month and I write my opinion (in literary magazines and newspapers). I write poems, articles, essays, short stories, translations etc… (I have 22 years experience in poetry and prose). I think that “The real happiness consists in desiring little”.
Patrick, thanks again. I send my warm regards to all the visitors of your blog and to all the poets in Malta.

Arcadia, August, 6, 2008.