Wednesday, June 1, 2022

NILAVRONILL SHOOVRO

 

Poetry demands human compassion. Without which poetry becomes just jumble of dead words, void, a lifeless entity. Who would like to read that poem which is just a formation of words and sound without any true soul? In addition, to bring out that soul in our poetry we need to establish a direct relation with our surroundings, with our present time with human compassion. Do you think keeping yourself insulated from the present world would bring that soul in your writing? I am afraid, that is not possible at all. Keeping ourselves insulated from the human sufferings, from the tragedies of political events; even if we try to be creative in literary field, all our creativity will be lifeless without any true soul within. Nobody would recall our poetical brilliance for a second time after going through that sort of caricature of poetry devoid of true soul. Moreover, to bring out that true soul in our literary creativity we have to be compassionate enough not only to feel for the sufferer but also to find out the true causes of the Evils that prevail in the everyday domain of our world. This is the responsibility of a true poet. Not that, our poetry will change the world, yet it can be reflective of our time and situation in a true manner. Where, reader can find a true soul, which can communicate with its time and sufferings.

 

Poetry is not playing with words at all. Poetry is the expression of life. Poetry gives us the true meaning of our existence as human being. Not that, our life depends on literature or poetry. Any one of us can survive and even thrive, in our materialistic life; without even building up any relations with literature or poetry as a whole. We all know that it is quite possible. However, literature can never survive without establishing any direct relation or having any affinity with life as a whole. Therefore, we understand that literature depends on our life. Moreover, our life is full of sufferings pains and despair. Our life is also full of hopes and of infinite possibilities. It is in constant flux of good and evil, hope and despair, confusion and belief. So how can we deny all these in our inner soul? How can we just play with words for the sake of literature forgetting everything? Whenever and wherever we write poems on whatever topics our subconscious mind remains occupied with the situations or the conditions of our surroundings. It may be political, social, economic, cultural or even spiritual, etc. but in our subconscious mind all these continue to rule over our inner self. Not that every time we are aware of this, but the subconscious layer of our mind can never make itself free form these realities of our surrounding situations or conditions. Any poet who is well equipped with his literary tools and can make a near perfect balance between his or her literary craftmanship and surroundings, can create a literary ambience of highest caliber. Only then one can create a literary piece of work which can be called poetry. So, it is really a difficult and very complex method through which one has to proceed if one really wants to write true poetry.

 

Poetry shouldn’t remain captive into the realm of poet’s own individual personality. It must be released into the impersonal domain of universal consciousness. If your poem has that power to make its place into the universal consciousness, only then it would be considered as true poetry. Otherwise, it would remain as your own emotions and expressions unfortunately separated from it’s time and space. I can assure you dear readers, that almost all of us fail to realize this truth about poetry in general. That is the reason, the vast majority of the poetical works especially of this present time is actually a waste of time and effort. Moreover, it has become the trend of this present time that we never focus on the real issues rather our main attentions hover around the superfluous ones. That is very unfortunate. Publishing poetry collections draws much more attentions than the critical reviews of the poems. We like to attain the book publishing events more than to organize a poetry seminar and participate in it. Most of the literary events around the world do concentrate on publishing books and the felicitation of the poets. We try to avoid controversies; we like to remain in good terms with our fellow poets and friends. So, we never try to evaluate the actual worth of literary aspect of the writings. We like to remain popular among each other’s. These trends are actually playing havoc on the resultant effects which bring down our literature to the mediocrity.

 

We are in a time that is not only difficult to accept but also most confusing to realize.  One can say, media is ruling the mental state of common people. This feature of hypnotizing the mass through media to strengthen the power of the ruling elites and the corporates is the main characteristic of the present time. We as individuals have become the puppet dancers in the hand of the media. Even most of us do not realize this development at all. We continue to believe we are expressing our thoughts. But these thoughts have been incorporated into our intellect by the media, through its continuous propaganda. So, we have lost our independent intellects. Media is controlling our thought process. And the ruling elites and the corporates are sailing smoothly through this system, which has taken over our intellect. Their prosperity and the escalation of their wealth depends heavily on this system as well. So, they are continuously investing in billions to run this system according to their interests. Whenever their interests collide with people's intelligentsia, they come upon heavily to crush independent voices and movements. So actually, as an individual, we have little or no place at all to air our independent voices. Every country and every society is in the grip of this torrid time. Yes, this is the real fact about our present time. Whether we realize it or not, whether we want to deny it or not, matters little. We cannot escape from this situation at all. No, we are not in a mood to discuss world politics or analyze the political theories. But anybody wishing to remain apolitical would certainly end up becoming either a hypocrite or a grand fool. So, we can either gladly become the stooge of this political system or remain aware of the politics of the present time. Yes, it is up to the individuals. But none of us can claim to be apolitical.

 

A poet is also the product of his or her time. Time shapes our individualities in various manners. As a poet or a writer, if we want to remain aloof from anything political, we'll end up producing rubbish, which will never be considered as literature at all. A poet must be responsive to his or her surroundings, to gather the true momentum of contemporary times. It'll help the poet to find out the individual and an independent voice. Without which none can be a true poet. So, in a sense, working with poetry can never be apolitical. Again, certainly, it doesn't mean a poet must join politics or should remain politically active. But certainly, a poet should not be apolitical. Otherwise, a poet can never touch that essential human chords, which bring poetry alive. No, we are not making any framework, how to be a poet or how to write poetry, etc. We are only considering the facts because without becoming responsive to the present situations around one's space and time, one can never produce literature at all. We mean true literature. Not anything published in print or web. Unfortunately, if we fathom deep into the present trends of literary activities, we'll find out too many worthless productions claimed to be literature. These productions have no connections with the present time. These are mostly rootless structures devoid of human compassion and it's complexities. Not all the write-ups are literature. Even most of the poems that have been written every day in and around our literary mediums are just like this. Rootless and devoid of social connectivity. Lifeless and devoid of spiritual essence. Worthless and devoid of true soul. Yes, the soul is missing from most of the poems. These cannot vibrate and cannot touch readers' souls. Yet these worthless publications can also become popular if the almighty media wants. And we the people wish to rush forward following these media hypes. So, our literature is also into the overwhelming grip of media. Poet People Poetry nothing is now independent. Everything is dancing into the tuning set up by media, according to its interests. Now the only question remains, how can an individual deal with this overwhelming situation? We do not think we can formulate any mechanism to guide everyone. It is not our duty or responsibility. We have no right to guide anyone. We can only raise our voice, put forward our deep concerns with honest propensity. It is up to every individual, how to respond to this confusing time. How to deal with the media propaganda. How to save individual independence. And how to keep up the eternal torchlight of literature. How to preserve the soul of literary works. How to remain honest without becoming a hypocrite or fool enough to board the bandwagon of media hype.

 

NilavroNill Shoovro

From The Editorial Desk

OPA

A

WORLDWIDE WRITERS’ WEB

PRESENTATION!

 

PUBLISHED BY

 

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OUR

POETRY ARCHIVE

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OLFHA PHILO DRID IN A CONVERSATION WITH MARIA MIRAGLIA

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA TALKING WITH POET OLFHA PHILO DRID 

JUNE 2022

 


MARIA MIRAGLIA: When did you approach poetry?

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: I started writing 13 years ago. I was then in a period of emotional upheavals ...  My marriage was then breaking down and  I was struggling whether to remain in that toxic relationship to satisfy my parents and avoid gossip or to divorce and seek emotional and spiritual freedom...  (That’s why my first collection of poetry was entitled “(un)jailed”). So during those hard times of sorrow, hesitation and disappointment, I felt the urge to write...It was an exorcism or a therapy for me. I did not have the intention then to be read or published but the readers’ sympathy and their emotional interaction with my poems made me believe in the power of the pen to touch both the hearts and minds especially when your verse is simple and sincere ... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Do you think of anyone to dedicate your words when writing? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: Yes, sometimes but other times I write about general topics that touch the human soul in general or to criticize the political scene... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Air, water, earth and fire. What element would you like to be in poetic terms? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: I like water because it makes me feel cleansed from all impurities whether physical, emotional or spiritual... Besides, my zodiac sign is Pisces so I belong to this element of emotions, whose natives are characterised by sensitivity, imagination, depth, loyalty, compassion, intuition and mysticism. 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: No, because it makes me feel distracted and unable to weave my words... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  What did you feel when you held your first book in the hands? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: I had the impression that I gave birth to a baby. For as an introvert and pensive person, I was pregnant with feelings and thoughts for years and when I wrote them and compiled them in books, it was similar to a delivery for me... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Where does poetry come from? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: For me, it came from the bottom of my heart...It sprang from my silenced feelings, my buried pains, my untold stories... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Is there a time of the day when you prefer writing? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: No, but I prefer writing when no one is around or when I go walking or running in the lap of nature or by the sea... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Does writing come from the heart or from the mind? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: I guess from both. It depends on the source of inspiration whether a feeling or a thought... 

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  What do you think of poetry and poets on the web? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: There are many good ones but there are also some fake poets and plagiarists who profited from the accessibility of poems on the web so they started stealing ideas  and copying and pasting verses from here and there to  announce themselves as ‘poets’  then gained readers, fame and even  undeserved awards...  

 

 

MARIA MIRAGLIA:  Who are your favourite contemporary poets and why? 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID: I like Maya Angelou for the poignancy of her verse, her strong voice, her engaging style and vivid imagery.  I also like the Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani for his romanticism and feminism. I like the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish for giving voice to the Palestinians’ struggles and by extension to all the downtrodden on earth via his themes of homelessness, dispossession, exile, uprootedness, injustice etc ... I also enjoy reading our Tunisian poet Rahim Jmaii for his beautiful, inspiring, creative and thought-provoking  haiku poems, some of which I translated into English.  

  

OLFA PHILO DRID is a poetess, playwright, teacher and translator from Tunisia and holds a PhD in American Literature. Her poems have appeared in many international anthologies and literary journals and some were translated to more than 12 languages. Some were composed and turned into Italian songs performed by Fabio Martoglio. She won many accolades among them “The Connoisseur De Poetry Award” as one of the World’s Top Six Writers by the Motivational Strips Academy (2018). Thus far, Olfa has published a play and two collections of poetry.

 


MARIA MIRAGLIA: Educationist, poet, translator, peace activist, Maria A. Miraglia was born and lives in Italy. For a long time, an active member of Amnesty International, she herself founder and chairwoman of World Foundation for Peace. Member of Ican, of the International Observatory for Information and Human Rights. Founding member and literary director of the Italian cultural association P. Neruda, honorary member of Nationes Unidas de las Letras, advisory member of the editor board of Galaktika Poetike Autunis, member of the editorial board of Our poetry Archive, member of the editorial advisory board of Sahitya Anand. Presidente de la organization Mundial de los Trovatores, Italy and Deputy President – Coordination, at a child rights global organization, the United World Movement for Children (UWMC). She collaborates for poetry with numerous national and international newspapers and magazines. Her poems have been translated into several foreign languages and are collected in numberless anthologies all over the world.  Dr Maria Miraglia is often a welcome guest of international events for poetry. Beauty and profundity are the most important characteristic of Maria Miraglia’s works and although these elements are found in some of the exceptional works by modern writers, blending them together seems a challenge for many, where Maria is found to be successful applying them into her poems. Author of anthologies in Italian, English or both languages She is recipient of numerous national and international awards and recognition.

OLFA PHILO DRID

 

 

 

OLFA PHILO DRID

 

Athena

 

Had I no eyes to see you, with my heart

I would find your trace my bewitching muse

Or no ears to hear you when you depart,

My soul would then fetch you and with you fuse,

Blind and deaf, your aura I shall perceive

With you Athena, my poems I’ll weave.

 

 

Raid

 

Watch out! I am a tank!

an armored vehicle

ready for all raids…

 

Watch out! I am a gun!

made of flesh and bones,

a gun whose trigger is

a bleeding heart...

 

Watch out, I am a shell!

mind my explosions

my bombardments

my victims…

 

Watch out my troops of words!

they can rally in such an

unpredictable way

 to demolish you:

enemy of Light!

enemy of Love!

enemy of Peace!

enemy of Justice!

enemy of Tolerance!

enemy of Truth!

 

 

 

Beyond The Surface

 

beyond the face

there is a boiling brain

asking thousands of "why?"

& billions of "how come?"

rejecting dogma

resisting norms

refusing blind imitation

& in your brains

yearns to ignite storms…

 

beyond the bosom

there is an (over) beating heart

caring for others' pain

crying for every bloodshed

weeping over all humans slain

for a reason or in vain

& over your hearts

yearns to reign...

 

beyond the flesh

there is a restless soul

fighting all intruders

through the 7 chakras' holes,

safeguarding the body

against all negative energy

& your very souls

yearns to warn & cajole …

 

beyond the grown-up woman

there is an innocent child

who despises corruption

of the tongue & the mind

& into God's arms

yearns to run & hide...

 

 

Adam & Satan

 

O Adam!

You've been his rival since

your very creation-day!

unlike all angels,

he refused to prostrate

to you 'cause he saw

you as mere clay

even though

ANIMATED with a soul,

he swore to

lead you astray…

 

And for ages

and ages

and ages,

he kept plannin’,

plottin’, beautifyin’,

& pavin’ his way...

Now, your precious

soul he’s craftily chased

& kept at bay

and in that

INANIMATE clay,

he determined

to lodge & stay

till your very

Doomsday…

 

 

Modern Slaves

 

We are the generation of high-tech

We are all clones before

Our mother- the phone

Never do we move without

Her umbilical cord

To keep us well-fed

And feel like a lord...

 

We are the generation of high-tech

Our father is the PC

For his cherished company,

All relatives we flee

All lessons & knowledge,

We all now agree

To learn them from google

When diving into its bottomless sea…

 

We are the generation of high-tech

Our hearts vibrate daily on Facebook

Dating has become our vice

We befriend, date, unfriend then

block & change the tactics & the hook...

By dint of lying, we have become crook

Still, like stars, we feel and look

And on life, we have all

A similar outlook...

 

We are the generation of high-tech

Wherever we go, we seek to face

The "Kaaba" of the Internet

Without the Wi-Fi of this new God,

We feel a big threat

Our daily prayers for Him

We shall never forget …

 

We are the generation of high-tech

We are the embodiment of paradoxes

We travel without quitting our rooms

We play games without sweating

We communicate with silent or moving pictures

We are aroused without being touched

We socialize while isolated

We sense togetherness while being alone...

 

We are the generation of the "e":

e-mails

e-learning

e-games

e-banking

e-shopping

e-entertainment

e-dating

e-love

e-adultery

e-lies

e-madness!

 

We are the generation of high-tech

We are the mind-controlled modern slaves

Illusion and reality have become synonyms for us

The smarter our devices are, the closer we come to an ass!


OLFA PHILO DRID

 

OLFA PHILO DRID is a poetess, playwright, teacher and translator from Tunisia and holds a PhD in American Literature. Her poems have appeared in many international anthologies and literary journals and some were translated to more than 12 languages. Some were composed and turned into Italian songs performed by Fabio Martoglio. She won many accolades among them “The Connoisseur De Poetry Award” as one of the World’s Top Six Writers by the Motivational Strips Academy (2018). Thus far, Olfa has published a play and two collections of poetry.

VERÓNICA VALADEZ

 

 

VERÓNICA VALADEZ

 

Women Of The Sun

 

In memory of Psycho. Adriana Gamino (+)

 

There are women who came into this world to transcend, there are those who were forged by trial and error and managed to be the best version of inspiration.

In the transit of life, one comes across many women, they are all special, they all have poetry within them, some carry songs in their souls and become motivation just by looking at them.

There are women who shine like a needle in a haystack, they know how to make a rose bush bloom in the middle of winter, they heal with just a smile, they know how to reach the soul in moments of adversity or also in moments where sighs are carried by the breeze.

Such are the women of the sun, those who with their ANDANCES, leave a mark and are innate leaders, women who offer love in their path, women who leave the trail for others to follow, they are a source of life and they know that they do not require more than his own wings to achieve his dreams and be able to cross the mountains.

Sun women are brilliant, outstanding, they are of strength and will, but their flashes will never turn off the light of other souls, they know how to illuminate and expand the radiance, no one could overshadow them or take away what they have earned with effort and tenacity, they they are simply a sea of infinite possibilities.

These women of magic may have lived very little, but their stay on earth was a meaningful journey. They loved, they were daughters, sisters, mothers or wives, and also loyal friends; they knew how to win hearts, they transcended like the fire that provides infinite heat, they gave away their talents, their gifts and knowledge for a better future.

They may already be stars today, it is possible that their energy has joined the Universe, but their legacy and life will be turned into verses... Sun women were not and will not be unattainable; They are such common women, they live next to us, but we know that they are not from this world because their mere presence... can transform everything.

 

How Broken!

 

How broken is the world,

how many spaces are destroyed,

how many empty homes and bare hearts.

 

There is crying,

pain and hunger pain,

of stark sadness due to discouragement and loneliness.

 

This world is broken,

it is insecure and vile,

a space of massive destruction that has found an expiration date.

 

Very broken,

soulless and heartless humans circulate avoiding glances and breaths

so as not to infect their interior with love and madness and a better world.

 

We live like this,

with lost hope,

with hidden light and behind the cornice that paints concrete horizons

and without forests that provide a little life.

 

Broken, bewildered,

lost, very discouraged,

it may be necessary to look at our sun,

feel its warmth and love again.

 

Perhaps being broken is the opportunity

to rebuild this puzzle with pieces

that fit together and have the essence

of a better and new humanity.

 

Women Of My Lineage

 

For them,

who have marked my lineage,

because i carry drops of their blood within me,

marked like a tattoo.

 

For them who were submissive,

quiet, dreamy and good mothers...

They who gave their days

for me to start a new journey.

 

They who were a model,

longing, life, upbringing and anchoring,

those who did not know how to scream

and preferred to embroider their lace.

 

Your greatness exalts me,

your dignity gives me air,

women smell of mallow,

women of angel skin,

i am life for you, 

your essence lives in my art.

 

Today I venerate and honor those women

who wove with gold threads,

and pulse my courage.

 

They cried, suffered

or struggled to be someone,

women of velvet,

some of pipes and gloves,

some of palm and song,

others of wine and diamonds.

 

I am a footprint in its charms,

a butterfly in its pillars,

a little of them lives and breathes in me,

they flap and bloom ...

like a hummingbird flower.

 

VERÓNICA VALADEZ

 

VERONICA VALADEZ LOPEZ: Originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, Degree in Communication Sciences and Teacher in Education, Doctor Honoris Causa in Peace, Humanitarian Mission and Creativity for the World by the Moroccan-Mexico Alliance Foundation, Journalist for 30 years, winner twice of the "Golden Sun" by the National Circle of Journalists.  Broadcaster, writer, poet, journalist and prologuist. Member of the State Network of Writers of Guanajuato, Municipal Coordinator of the Network of Tertulias of the State, member of the World Association of Latin American Writers, and Ambassador Woman Sunflower of the International Association ABSORBAEX of Madrid. He worked for the Congress of the Union of Mexico and for the Ministry of Education of Guanajuato, through the Department of Colleges of Professionals of the State of Guanajuato. He has participated in anthologies, international literary events, with India, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Iraq, Romania, China, Greece, Cuba, Chile, England, Russia, etc. and his poems have been translated into more than 10 languages. Representative of Mexico at the Madrid Poetry Festival 2019, winner of the 2020 Research Prize, "Ana María Agüero Melnyczuk" from Argentina and First Place of the International Poetry Prize of Peru 2020, Second Place in the Poetry Contest 2019, Venado Tuerto, Argentina and First Place in the Literary and Artistic Contest 2020 (Poetry) of Cañete de Las Torres,  Cordoba, Spain. Writer of 2 books, Imperfecta and Amar desde el amor verdadero, participant in more than 80 international and national Anthologies. Lecturer and International Observer of Human Rights and ACTIVIST OF HEART, and above all proud Francorrinconense.