JOHN KARAJOLI

 

The Poet Of The Nation

(Dedicated to my memorable father Adnan Karajoli)

 

Poet of mine,

do you happen to be woken from your deep sleep?

Your historical people goes up and down

the streets of freedom.

 

They wonder every now and then:

where can that friend be?

 

Who will wake you up, poet of mine, from your deep sleep?

There still are people who can’t wait

to meet you again.

 

These people have still hopes on you, because without you,

poet of mine,

 

their everyday life remains friendless.

 

Testament

 

If I go, please,

take care of the shadow

 

I’m leaving behind.

 

Publish and spread my thoughts…! Share with all the world

the good side of my words and the remains

of my bright letters

 

that will still be breathing after my eternal

last journey.

 

Father Adnan

 

Off is the bright star, gone is the moon and its glow.

At home there is nothing but grey. No soul remained to its people.

They are in a whirlwind seeking for

the eternal wizard of love. Gone is our poet

with the distant gaze

 

that so much reminds me of nature. Gone is the affectionate hue

of his voice.

 

He’s gone to complete his divine love,

to embrace the skies and the high windows.

He left for the permanent position that is right for him.

So that, from up there, he illuminates the world and the remote planets.

 

JOHN KARAJOLI

 

JOHN KARAJOLI: Is a Greek poet, born in Syria on 09/01/1951 in Efrin city, north of Aleppo. His family is of Kurdish origin. He spent his early childhood in the city of Efrin where his father served as e Prefect. His mother, Amine Cheicho, was a gifted and charismatic woman ,with numerous artistic qualities . His father, Adnan Karajoli, was a writer- lawyer who fought for the rights of the beloved Syrian people. In the spring of 1955, the Karajoli family was relocated to Damascus, where they had previously resided. He had the opportunity to study in beautiful Romania, at the Bucharest Dentistry School and he finished his studies by acquiring the specialty of Orthodontist. After he completed his course of studies, he had the opportunity to visit Greece, after being invited by his Greek fellow students. Since then, 34 years of creative work have passed, delving into the area of orthodontics and literature. He is a founding member of a Greek association for Orthodontic study and research, with an honorary distinction at the 9th Pan-Hellenic orthodontic congress (Athens 2006) He barely felt like a foreigner in Greece. He received the love of the Greek people and he still enjoys it, here in beautiful Thessaloniki, Macedonia. In the summer of 1985, the Muse bestowed her gift on the poet, thus he started writing his first verses. His first poetic collection was published in 2011 under the title “Colors of an Era “, from ALDE publishing. He is a member of the Litterateurs Association of Northern Greece and of the cultural social institution “Amphictyonic League of Hellenism”. He received ‘Honorary Distinction’ at the 4th International Poetic Contest on “Hellenic speech, Light of the World” (Thessaloniki, May 3rd, 2014). He gave a lecture at the 3rd International Amphictyons Congress on : The History of Hellenic-Syrian Culture they took place at the French Institute of Thessaloniki (May 2014) , at the festival : Celebration of Multilingualism on :Language and Communication (Municipality of Thessaloniki, May 30th and 31st 2014) at the “1st Pan-Hellenic Contest –Bequest of Nana Kontou 2010” by the Association of the Smyrnian people of Asia minor in northern Greece , with his poem titled “Smyrna” (Thessaloniki, November 20th 2010). His work under the title “Colors of an Era “was published in the magazine “Critique of Language and Art, positions and views “(50th issue, May –July 2015). He became a member of WIP and Peace Ambassador Branch of SYRIA in 2018. He lives in the town of Thessaloniki – Greece.