ZACHAROULA GAITANAKI

ZACHAROULA  GAITANAKI

SOUNIO

I still remember

that August afternoon at Sounio.

The waves to engrave the reef,

tourists taking photographs

of the eternal marbles of the temple,

the breeze mixing up our hair.

Love playing hide and seek

between the columns

and our the gaze

absorbing by endless blue.

A summer remembrance

– of a transient love –

an August afternoon at Sounio.

BLUE

A piece of sky

I brought down

to offer you, my darling,

to play and forget.

From Aegean Sea

I brushed away the blue

with the piece of sky

to match.

To hold both in your hands,

to play and forget.

You don’t know what it means

to love but not be loved.

GOD’S LOVE

I felt and I feel,

Your Love, dear God.

You set free every yearning

of my heart.

You give wings

in every though of mine.

You soften every pain

and near You

I’m not afraid,

because You solve

every problem of mine.

CEASE OF FIRE

Soldiers all over the world

loaded their guns

with July’s wild flowers.

One evening, took their helmets

and threw them in the seas

of the worlds.

And after, they kissed

and hugged like old time friends.

Military camps have closed

their gates for ever.

Out there, children began to play…

ZACHAROULA GAITANAKI    

DR. ZACHAROULA GAITANAKI was born in Athens on November 30th, 1966. Now, she is a small farmer and lives with her family in Zoni, a small Arcadian village in Peloponnese. She writes poems, articles, short stories, essays, novels and review of  book.  She is also a translator  of books of poetry. 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) and of the IWA (International Writers Association). She is a member of the “World Poets Society” and of the “Asociacion Mundial de Escritores – A.M.E.” of  Spain (No 3299). Member of “Poetas del Mundo” («Poets of the World»). Her poems, short stories and essays have appeared  in foreign and Greek Anthologies, they have been translated into English, French, Italian, Albanian, Bengali, Russian, Hungarian, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, 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” one of “The International Best Translators 2005” (China, 2006) and by the Greek Literary Club “Xasteron” as “The Best Greek Translator of the year 2007” (March, 22, 2008). “Best Poet of the Year 2012” by the IPTRC. “Best Translator of 2013” by the “International Writers and Artists Association – IWA”. 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.  4.- «200 YEARS ZONI (1810 – 2010)», a special edition (with 59 photos), “Morfotikos Exoraistikos Syllogos Zonis of Arcadia”,  2010   and 5.- “POTIS KATRAKIS – ROUTE TO CREATION”, (Essay), Athens (1st edition: 2012, 2nd edition: June 2013), Editions “Lexitipon”. Country of origin: GREECE. Mother language: Greek. Nationality: Greek. Place of living: ZONI, a small Arcadian village.