SOFIA SKLEIDA

 

Turbulence

 

Sounds everywhere,

deafening

 circling us

Trade winds,

gentle

Anger overwhelms our flesh

The circle of life

They plunge us into total darkness

We feel weak

The road ahead is endless

And the final hymn accompanies

our last trip

Salvation unborn in a hostile homeland...

 

(Poem awarded at the 1st International Poetry Competition of Zakynthos,

 "An ode to D. Solomon", 2016)

 

Cracks

 

My holy land

The communion wine of your children

Mother of your enemies

Blessed by the graceful flesh

Of the Godman

From the greatness

of Our Lady

My homeland...

You instill love in us

You burn our insides

You flatter unkind patrons

Destitute rich

Irresponsible rulers

which compromise rights of justice

 Humiliate your inestimable value

The ancients' paternal values

Land of the saints

I Praise

I honor you

I crave you

Thank you...

 

(2nd prize in the 7th International Poetry Competition,

Amphictyonia of Hellenism, Thessaloniki 2018).

 

Chanting

 

What if sadness possesses you?

Will feel joy at first glance

It's enough to listen

Obey the vibrations of your heartbeat

Full of life

Give yourself to merciful thoughts

No matter if you live a monastic life

and obstinately assuage innermost anxieties

They will become wishes

and expectations

Peaceful protests

Holy Communion

Sacred collection of red and black corals

Fluttering from soul to soul

and door to door

 

(Third Prize in the 18th International Literary Competition,

Athens 2018)

 

SOFIA SKLEIDA

 

SOFIA SKLEIDA was born in Athens. She studied Filology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens where she obtained her BA, MA in Pedagogy, Ph.D in Comparative Pedagogy and a postdoctoral research certificate . She obtained a certification in the Braille language. Today she works as a teacher in the secondary education. She took part in conferences and published articles in the Greek and international scientific journals, in conference papers and chapters books. She was awarded for her participation in poetry and literary contests in Greece and abroad. Her poems have been translated into Italian, English, Spanish, Albanian, Romanian and Bangla,Her first poetic collection entitled Dream of Oasis (Thessaloniki, 2014), was translated and published in Italy in 2017 (won the second prize in an international competition in Milan). Her first Fairy tale entitled Geometrini was published in 2016, her second with the title The Kingdom of Joy in 2018. Some of her published works are the following: Neologisms, Melismos , Ιn the Mediterranean, Poetic Reflections, Cappadocian theological references in handwritten verses, The teaching of classical languages in the Italian secondary education ,Poetic visions in Paintings, Didactic Trilogy: Body-Spirit-Soul, Educational Proposals,  Cor ad Cor Loquitur , A Second Life , Α trip to the country of “the meeting” , Let there be light, Sentidos Spirituales.  She is Vice President of the Zakynthian Cultural Institute, a regular member at the Panhellenic Union of Writers and at the Association of Greek Writers.