A
WORLDWIDE
WRITERS’ WEB
PRESENTATION!
PUBLISHED
BY
OPA
OUR
POETRY ARCHIVE
ONLINE MONTHLY POETRY JOURNAL
https://ourpoetryarchive.blogspot.com
email us to:
**************************************
A
WORLDWIDE
WRITERS’ WEB
PRESENTATION!
PUBLISHED
BY
OPA
OUR
POETRY ARCHIVE
ONLINE MONTHLY POETRY JOURNAL
https://ourpoetryarchive.blogspot.com
email us to:
**************************************
NILAVRONILL TALKING WITH
POET OF THE MONTH
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS
JULY 2024
NILAVRONILL: Welcome to Our
Poetry Archive, dear poet. And congratulations as the poet of this month. I
would like to know your personal views on literature or poetry in general.
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Good to see you! It is a huge
honor for me to be chosen as Poet of the Month by a very respectable global
magazine with more than 1,000,000 readers. Poetry and literature in general are
for me sources of creation and life. They develop my spiritual world and expand
the horizons of my spirit and thought. They are the tools my imagination uses
to create wonderful worlds and convey messages and meanings across time and the
world. Especially poetry is for me an inner world beast that scratches the
walls of my soul with its claws, seeking to come out into the light of the sun
and of life.
NILAVRONILL: What are the factors that
have influenced you immensely in the growing phase of your literary life. When,
most probably you were not certain of your future as a poet or writer. Do you
think society as a whole is the key factor in shaping up you as a poet, or your
poetry altogether?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: In my poetry inspired by man,
the world, nature, their future course and evolution, the mysteries of the
Earth and the Universe. Certainly, there are very strongly my personal details
in it. It is a fact that from the beginning of my writing career I write in the
first person, seeking to demonstrate to my readers that the one who "opens
up" to them is the same as the one who expresses his feelings, his ideas,
his fears, his courage, his dreams, his imagination. My collections of poems are
based on the literary genre of the Herbartian space opera. In these I focus on
life, love, man, romance, infighting and field adventures and conflicts, but
from a chaotic, space or cosmic perspective, which no one can either
underestimate or marginalize.
That is why, as long as literature exists, it will exist. Also,
other themes are of space travel, the joy of space exploration, its
colonization and the need for the fantastic and for the new myths that are now
just beginning to take shape. Because, in any case, it is the path of the
fantastic that leads us to what stands as a burning desire of all of us:
contact, even for a while, with the impossible.
I was always sure that I wanted to be a poet and a writer. From the time
I was nine when I wrote my first poem, I never questioned it for a moment. So,
I got the courage to overcome whatever obstacles were in my way and jump over
them, continuing to do what I loved most in life. To write and create.
Certainly, society and especially man and his future as a universal being is
the most important factor that has shaped my work and me in terms of my
thoughts and choices.
Also, the content of my poetry collection of poems are inspired by
my great love and enormous interest in the Universe, its creation, the
reasonable possibility that other civilizations exist in its depths, apart from
the known Earth, the possible origin of life to planet Earth from space, the
possibility of interstellar travel by humans, but also the terror, the hope,
the contact relationships that humans can have with extraterrestrial life
forms, wherever and whenever they may be. So I refer to space, since the
current reality now contains so much fear, bitterness, frustration and cruelty.
Again, however, this intense interest of mine in the Universe has as its
central point my enormous interest in man. The man, hurt by so many negative
situations in his daily life, gazes at the stars, looking for a different
perspective on his life. The modern existential significance is that man will
transcend the frontiers of our galaxy, transcend the final frontier soon,
perhaps find new worlds and civilizations on the over 5,500 exoplanets he has
made so far, each of which has the conditions for the development of life. The
correct handling of all these issues, without losing his humanity, depends on
him and on his attitude and behavior. When man goes out into the Universe to
colonize other worlds, he will have to carry with him some soil from his
metropolitan planet. He should carry with him the memory of the planet, his
great universal mother.
NILAVRONILL: Is there anyone in your
life, influenced you personally to develop your literary skills? Or inspire you
to become a poet?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: If your question refers to my
relatives, then my answer is my parents. My father used to buy and give me
books on Greek and foreign mythology. And my mother read to me every night,
before I even learned to read and write, various novels that were comprehensible
to my childish mind and at the same time opened the horizons of my imagination.
Of course, my parents did this without seeking to see me become a poet or a
writer. But there were other people who influenced me to turn to writing.
Unattainable for now, because it is important at this point to remember that
many science fiction books have been verified and become harbingers,
essentially, of the future, as happened with the books of EF's father, Jules
Verne.
A great scientist and writer E.F. who influenced me and at the same
time inspired me to a great extent, among many others, is Isaac Asimov.
According to this author "modern science fiction is the only literary
genre in which the nature of the coming changes, their possible effects and
solutions are systematically and consciously addressed. E.F. is that literary
genre, which deals with the effect of scientific progress on man".
Also, the great scientist Albert Einstein who said: "How would
I feel if I traveled through space riding on a beam of light?" In addition
to the theory of relativity, the poetry and imaginative dynamics of this image
that the insurmountable scientist gives us, the value of existence in
combination with the Universe is also hidden in it.
NILAVRONILL: Do you consider
your literary life as an extension of your self-existence? If so, how it is
related with the time around you?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: My literary life motivates,
defines and promotes my very existence. Without her I believe I would not be a
complete person. I would always be missing something very important and
irreplaceable. But now that I serve poetry and literature as well as other types
of writing, such as short stories and essays, I feel complete and
self-existent. I move, I function, I exist within the dimensions of the writing
that colors the time itself that flows but acquires value from my creativity
and that is why it does not go to waste.
NILAVRONILL: According to you, what are
the conditions to develop the creative soul of a poet in general? We would like to know from your personal
experiences.
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: The prerequisites for the
development of the creative soul of a writer and especially a poet is the
ability he has to delve into his very existence, his being, his ego, but also
to have the ability of empathy, love for fellow human beings, of understanding,
reflection, freedom of thought and expression, interest in the great problems
plaguing the world, the future of man here on Earth and beyond in the stars.
Related to my own experiences regarding the above assumptions was the need to write
a poetry collection about the Greek Revolution of 1821 thinking about the
freedom of man and how many sacrifices are needed to obtain it. Or to write
poems about the conquest and colonization of space thinking about the future of
man. In fact, my most recent poetry collection written in the English language,
which is published in India, Canada, USA. and Europe with the title JOURNEY TO
INFINITY is such a poetry collection.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think in
this age of information and technology the dimensions of literature have been
largely extended beyond our preconceived ideas about literature in general?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Certainly, the rapid development
of information and technology has broken the barriers of prejudices, qualms and
distortions and has reduced poetry and literature to the heavenly valley of
liberation from various taboos and censored expressiveness. But there are also
risks from this development. Today a robot can write a poem or a piece of
literature that is capable of seducing a novice reader with non-human messages.
But it cannot mislead a trained scholar, precisely because it lacks humanity.
So, it is time to start reading more and to understand deeply what we read.
NILAVRONILL: As a poet, do
socio-economy and politics in general influence your literary visions? If so
how, and if not, why?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Socio-economics and more
generally politics in their broadest sense definitely influence my literary
vision. Interstate conflicts, the poverty of many people worldwide, the lack of
social welfare, the serving of individual interests, the lack of true education
that will lead to creativity and not just unrestrained productivity cannot
leave me indifferent.
NILAVRONILL: Do you consider, your
national identity as an important factor to influence your literary creativity?
Is your national identity an incentive for you to find your own literary voice?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Certainly, my ethnic identity is
a factor that affects my creativity but not to a catalytic degree. And this,
because I consider myself a world poet. Global, because I am troubled and
concerned by the great problems of the whole world, the wars, the hunger, the
drug trafficking, the exploitation of man by man, the mutations of the human
genome that will lead to metahumans, the colonization of space and its possible
dangers. So, I try to collaborate with all the forces I have in Greek magazines,
anthologies, competitions and also in foreign ones, in order to make my voice
heard by as many people as possible.
NILAVRONILL: In between
tradition and modernism, which one influence you most and why?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: I’m undoubtedly influenced by
modernism, or rather postmodernism, because I firmly believe that man must move
forward and evolve. Of course, this does not mean at all that I despise
tradition. In fact, I believe that the man who does not know or who despises
his roots is a withered trunk of some cut tree.
NILAVRONILL: Do you think honest
literary criticism has much to do with the development of a poet and the true
understanding of his or her poetry?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: When criticism is
well-intentioned and honest, it helps the development of a writer, a poet,
because it points out some of his imperfections in a positive way. When it is
not, then it rather obscures and subverts its course towards the elusive but so
desired perfection.
NILAVRONILL: I would like to
know, whether your contemporaries inspire your writings in any way.
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: They inspire my writing but
unfortunately not in the most positive way. As I mentioned before, there are
many problems in the world, which of course are of human origin. Today people
depend more on matter than spirit.
NILAVRONILL: Do you believe,
literature can eventually help people to uplift human conscience?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Certainly, literature always has
this potential. But the issue is to what extent modern man deals with poetry
and literature and to what extent he is interested in the elevation of his
consciousness. There are of course bright exceptions but these are few and only
highlight the rule.
NILAVRONILL: Humanity has
suffered immensely in the past, and is still suffering around the world. We all
know it well. As a poet or even as a literary person, how do you foresee the
future of mankind?
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: I don't want to sound
pessimistic, but I have a bleak outlook. Modern man is material and full of
flaws. If love, understanding, tolerance do not prevail, then things will not
be auspicious at all. In fact, I believe that man will carry these defects into
space, if he eventually colonizes it. For this reason, I will quote a quote of
mine:
Believe in life, in love, in man,
to yourself, to research of Universe!!!
And something else.
Hold his eyes of your spirit
and soul always open,
you seek the Truth
and distance yourself
from irresponsibility,
the racist tendencies,
the totalitarianism and the fear,
whatever its source!!!
NILAVRONILL: We are almost at the end
of the interview. I remain obliged to you for your participation. Now,
personally I would like to know your honest opinion about Our Poetry Archive.
Since April 2015 we are publishing and archiving contemporary world poetry each
and every month. Thank you for sharing your views and spending much time with
us.
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: OPA is a wonderful, extraordinary global e-literary magazine that embraces contemporary authors and their great work with unbridled love. Besides, my appreciation for it and its editors is clearly visible from the fact that I seek to post my poems in almost every issue of it. Of course, without the love and interest of the people who publish it towards my poetry, this would not be possible at all. It would be impossible to happen. Thank you very much!
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS: Christos
Dikbasanis is a poet, writer, columnist and scholar of religions. He was born
in Thessaloniki in 1961, Greece, where he graduated from the Theological School
of AUTH. He holds a Master's degree (MTh) in Religion. He writes poetry,
essays, studies, short stories. His poems and essays have been included in
Greek and international anthologies and presented in literary publications and
electronic magazines in Greece and abroad, while his poems have been dramatized
by theater troupes. His poems have been translated into English, Spanish and
Italian. He is a member of the Thessaloniki Writers Society, the International
Society of Greek Writers and the Greece-Cyprus Cultural Association. His life
and work are always inspired by his great love for man, the Universe, space
travel, nature, anthropology, mythology and especially the research of the
history of religions and other branches of theology. He has been honored with
important pan-Hellenic and global awards, such as from the INTERNATIONAL FORUM
OF CREATIVITY AND HUMANISM and the international literary electronic magazine
of Argentina INVIERNO REVISTA OFFICIAL etc. He has been awarded the SPECIAL
JURY AWARD (Special Jury Award) at the BIENNALE 2024 global competition. Also,
he was honored with the First Prize at the 11th International Literary
Competition 2022 of the UNESCO group of arts, language and sciences of Greece.
Also, he has been included along with 1,700 international poets in the global
HYPERPOEM project, organized by the Russian publisher, writer and poet
Alexander Kabishev and included in the QUINESS Book of Records. Also, he has
been distinguished as the FACE OF CONTINENT (Representative of the
Continent-Antarctica) for the year 2023 by the global electronic magazine HUMANITY
MAGAZINE, the special edition ANTARCTICA and the publisher Alexander Kabishev.
Finally, a poetry collection of his poems in the English language was published
by WRITERS INTERNATIONAL EDITION and is distributed in the USA, Canada, India
and Europe.
I Will Bloom Again
How my dreams
rustle tonight!
How they breathe
heavily
my newborn
desires!
How fragile
silence
he hugs me
tightly
as I look to my
tomorrow
to breathe
slowly inside his cocoon!
How my thoughts
rustle tonight
inside my mind
so loud!
Now I can
with my silken
eyelids open
to dream that I
fly
above the
colorful notes of my heart
who tenderly
sings to me of the coming
of a new dawn in
my life
I know I won't
sleep anymore
traveling among
the stars
and in the love
calls of the angels
fluttering above
the paths
of my future
life
I feel born
again
as Ι keeps me
alert
the spineless
memory of bright times
where I am going
to live
in other
constellations,
in other
galaxies,
in other
parallel Universes
How many tears
do I still have left
until I bloom
again
in worlds
burning with hope?
Eternal Prompt
Let's travel
among the stars!
We will open a
crack
in the darkness
of eternal night
with the light
of our love
We will let the
waves of pleasure flow
like the juice
of unripe grapes,
like a waterfall
of foaming early
lusts
that are about
to spill out
in the river of
our meeting
Let's walk
onto the
stressed body of the asteroids
which for so
many centuries collided
in our timid
dreams
and they
disappeared them indifferently!
Forget your
fears
and your
hesitations!
Imagine that we
are two trilobites
which their
union will inevitably lead
in the blooming
of new seasons
Let's get lost
in the vortex
of a bright, new
creation!
Refuge In Oblivion
They often come
to mind
all that I
craved
but I didn't
have the courage to bring them to life
I usually take
refuge in oblivion
but how to ban
in my mind and
heart the memories?
They become
beasts, monsters and dragons
and they are
following me
without mercy,
without pity,
without fatigue
I don't always
succeed
to resist them
and forget
They are
relentlessly chasing me
They tear apart
the colorful canvas
of oblivion and
redemption
with their large
sharpened claws
Then I give up
myself
to their
uncontrollable appetites
I no longer put
up any resistance
I let them
devour
my time and my
soul
Then in the
night
my moments
become hell
I'm burning
of glowing
stones
that the
merciless memories throw at me,
punishing me
for I hesitated
to give breath
to all that is
precious, to all that is bright
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS
CHRISTOS DIKBASANIS is a poet, writer
and scholar of religions. He was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, where he
graduated from the Theological School of the Aristotle University. He holds a
Master's Degree from the Theological School with a specialization in Religious
Studies. It has been included in the "Great Encyclopedia of Modern Greek
Literature" of Haris Patsi publications and in the “Who's Who” of
journalists. He has been honored with many national and international awards
for his poems.
No Complains
How can you
complain about old age?
It has allowed
you to nourish
at least six
dogs,
four cats
and numerous
plants.
It has allowed
you to feed
a cradle of fish
with solar fire
on the scales
and it allows
you to sleep little
to contemplate
the dreams of the moon.
How can you
complain about old age?
It gives you
time
to contemplate
the portraits of clouds,
while you wait
sitting
on the threshold
of the oven
to toast the
world,
to welcome with
hot bread
and biscuits
To whom still
remembers that you exist.
Sin quejas
¿Cómo puedes quejarte de la vejez?
Te ha permitido de nutrir
al menos seis perros,
cuatro gatos
y numerosas plantas.
Te ha permitido alimentar
una cuna de peces
con fuego solar en las escamas
y te permite dormir poco
para contemplar los sueños de la luna.
¿Cómo puedes quejarte de la vejez?
Te da tiempo
para contemplar los retratos de nubes,
mientras esperas sentada
en el umbral del horno
de tostar el mundo,
para acoger con pan caliente
y bizcochos
quién se acuerda todavía que existes.
My Refuge
My refuge is
a tiny country,
wrinkled
like a newborn
child
cries and
trembles,
emanates
innocence,
a smoke of life.
My refuge is
a thought of
wind,
lights and
extinguishes a candle,
eye’s dream
chimera’s smile
In my refuge
there are no wars,
there are
streams that caress the earth
stupendous trees
islands of
feeling that contain me
in a mirror of
water that lets you see
a hope that
caresses me,
with palm tree
hands
It kisses my
shoulders.
My refuge is so
small,
Gets lost inside
a smile,
in a cup of hot
coffee,
with a whistled
voice between its teeth,
breathes hidden
things
that others do
not see.
Mi refugio
Mi refugio es
un país minúsculo,
arrugado
como un niño recién nacido
llora y tiembla,
emana inocencia,
un humo de vida.
Mi refugio es
un pensamiento de viento,
enciende y apaga una vela,
sueño de ojos
sonrisa de quimera.
En mi refugio no hay guerras,
hay arroyos que acarician la tierra
árboles estupendos
islas de sentir que me contienen
en un espejo de agua que deja ver
una esperanza que me acaricia,
con manos de palmeras
me besa los hombros.
Mi refugio es tan pequeño,
se pierde dentro de una sonrisa,
en una taza de café caliente,
con una voz chiflada entre los dientes,
respira cosas
escondidas
que los otros no
ven.
A Wish
I want to adopt
a dog
To wander
through this inert city,
To avoid
confusing me
With the crowd,
who don't know
to be a crowd.
I want to adopt
a dog
That it be mine
alone
To be of no one
else
without a race,
without an
owner.
A bastard like
me
To bark at the
shadows.
I want to adopt
a dog
To see me with
it
In the shadow of
the bridge
To decipher my
north
When he wags his
tail
And float along
the wind
and with all its
currents.
Deseo
Quiero adoptar un perro
para pasear por esta ciudad inerte,
para evitar de confundirme
con la muchedumbre, que no sabe
ser muchedumbre.
Quiero adoptar un perro
que sea solo mío
para no ser de nadie,
de ninguna raza,
de ningún dueño.
Un bastardo como yo
para ladrar a las sombras.
Quiero adoptar un perro
para verme con él,
en la sombra del puente,
para descifrar mi norte,
cuando él mueve la cola
y flotar junto
al viento
y todas sus
corrientes.
YULEISY CRUZ LEZCANO
YULEISY CRUZ LEZCANO: was born on the
island of Cuba and lives in Marzabotto, near Bologna (Italy). She works in
public health, graduate in biological sciences and with a master's degree in
nursing and midwifery sciences. She has published 18 books followed by rich
knowledge and awards in competition, the last one is “Di un’altra voce sarà la
paura”. She deals with translations into Spanish, making Italian poets known in
various magazines in Spain and South America and reciprocally, making South
American and Spanish poets known in Italy, collaborating with literary blogs as
an editor (Circolo Letterario Vento Adriatico, AlessandriaToday) and with the
literary journal of the Nabokov Prize. Her Italian poetry has been translated
in French, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian.
Yuleisy
Cruz Lezcano : Nació en la isla de Cuba y
vive en Marzabotto, cerca de Bolonia (Italia). Trabaja en salud pública,
licenciada en ciencias biológicas y con maestría en ciencias de enfermería y
partería. Ha publicado 18 libros seguidos de un rico conocimiento y
premios en competencia, el último es “Di un’altra voce sarà la paura”,
actualmente candidato al Premio Strega en Italia. Se ocupa de las traducciones
al español, dando a conocer a los poetas italianos en diversas revistas de
España y Sudamérica y recíprocamente, dando a conocer a poetas sudamericanos y
españoles en Italia, colaborando con blogs literarios como editor (Circolo
Letterario Vento Adriatico, AlessandriaToday) y con la revista literaria del
Premio Nabokov. Su poesía italiana ha sido traducida al francés, español,
portugués, inglés, albanés.
I Planted You As Light
Flowers among
the ruins
I formed in your
roots
Dove wings
I left a ghost
town
There is no war
in it
Without darkness
Everything is
permissible
In the horizons
I fly without
feathers...or wings
Without barriers
and clashes,
Or pain and
pain!
I fall asleep on
a pillow
Stuffed with
ostrich feathers
I sway
coquettishly..
With the wind
and breezes
I flaunt a dress
It was
embroidered with clouds
I collect the
raindrops
I fashion them
into pearls
I adorn myself
with the necklace of life.
Studded with
rubies from the sky
What a beautiful
moment
I seduce deaf
atoms in it
No noise from
newspapers and news
No chattering
thoughts
I breathe air
And the nectar
of dew
I sip, smiling
Long-term
I have spent my life
Why am I looking
for refuge?
At the corners
of life
I wish I could
repeat
The hands of
time
Days..
So that I can
feel safe!
A Child Of Dreams
I planted you as
light
Flowers among
the ruins
I formed in your
roots
Dove wings
I left a ghost
town
There is no war
in it
Without darkness
Everything is
permissible
In the horizons
I fly without
feathers...or wings
Without barriers
and clashes,
Or pain and
pain!
I fall asleep on
a pillow
Stuffed with
ostrich feathers
I sway coquettishly..
With the wind
and breezes
I flaunt a dress
It was
embroidered with clouds
I collect the
raindrops
I fashion them
into pearls
I adorn myself
with the necklace of life.
Studded with
rubies from the sky
What a beautiful
moment
I seduce deaf
atoms in it
No noise from
newspapers and news
No chattering
thoughts
I breathe air
And the nectar
of dew
I sip, smiling
Long-term
I have spent my life
Why am I looking
for refuge?
At the corners
of life
I wish I could
repeat
The hands of
time
Days..
So that I can
feel safe!
Gaza
A rebellious
woman
She was created
from the womb of a frozen nation
As a linguistic
masterpiece
About the lines
of the shops are unique...
Slim figure
He rises to the
heights of pride...
And curls of
gypsy hair
Flows with freedom...
Her nose is like
a lofty one
Zubaida
Al-Abbasiya...
Her lips are
burgundy
Like cries of
truth
The violent blood...
Its fragrance is
of a wild flower
He broke the
neck of the bottle and the bondage...
Don't falter in
her steps
Even if she
walked without shoes
On a pink land..
A woman like the
full moon, clear and clear
And luminous on
moonlit nights...
Do not accept
grievances, solid and proud..
Firm as olive
roots
In the soil of
its land, it is firmly established and strong...
Don't Preach Patience To Me
In the cold,
while you are wearing a coat
And gloves..
Don't preach to
me patience
I am hungry and you are belching with gluttony
And he's full...
Don't preach to
me patience
In despair while you dance with joy
And happily...
Don't preach to
me patience
In hardship and
distress while
you break your
fast with bread and honey..
Don't preach to
me patience
On illness and
disease while you are taking medicine
And an
antidote...
Don't preach to
me patience
For the loss of
those around you,
the ties of
kinship and your inner being..
Don't preach to
me patience
Against
oppression and injustice,
and you are in
prosperity
And prosperity
is blessings...
Don't preach to
me patience
In fear and war,
and you
With checks you
hide...
Don't preach to
me patience
To the sound of
“RPG”
and you are
listening to “Beethoven’s” music..
Come down to my
house,
Or be content
with the laws of the jungle
And be silent!
YASMINE ABDEL SALAM HARMOUSH
YASMINE ABDEL SALAM HARMOUSH: The literary
writer Yasmine Abdel Salam Harmoush, from Lebanon, the country of beauty and
culture, her birthplace is Safira, Dinniyeh, born on 8/15/1988. She has a work
entitled (Jasmine) Her academic specialty is experience and auditing in
financial accounting. Her writings appeared in most newspapers and magazines,
and she dealt with social issues as well as poetic texts.
Eternity
How many tears
are hidden
in the smile
of the barefoot
boy
in front of the
toy store?
The sun in his
eyes
is the greatest
jewel,
no jeweler can
process it.
How much
strength is there
in the painful
back
of the old woman
who sells roses
on a cardboard box?
No colossus
can take her
strength.
How much love is
there
in the sight of
a father
counting down
the last seconds
of his earthly
life?
Only Eternity
can recognize that love.
Under A Clear Sky
I have a dawn
that never dawns
and a stone
under my head
to always remind
me
of other
people's pain.
I have rain that
bypasses
my fruits so
that I can always
bless one drop.
I have winds
that always lift
the roof of my
old house,
so that I know
how it is for
those
who sleep under
the clear sky.
Water For Tea
Sometimes I go
into the yards
who only vaguely
remember the tenants.
in them, life
celebrates victory in silence,
by flourishing,
carving on the strangest
places.
they say:
dilapidated witnesses
about the
haunting of time.
I bring water
for tea, pick from the plants
that is within
reach and I am waiting;
you usually stop
by in a precise minute when the aroma
it peaks before
the encore.
You shake the
dust off the truncated steps
and you say:
the path of
water has nausea in the region of the vortex;
that's when I
know the brim of your hat
didn't lean
towards me for nothing.
What the shadows
will whisper,
insomnia
belongs.
VALENTINA NOVKOVIĆ
VALENTINA NOVKOVIĆ (Serbia), graduate
philologist, poet, prose writer, literary translator. Editor in a publishing
house. Published four book of poems (Timeless 2014, Drop by drop 2018, Riddles
of Tenderness, 2020,Poems to the Heaven, 2022, which won the first prize at the
Fifth Drina Literary Meeting) and one prose book (Two hours from reality,
2020), Winner of many awards for poetry and prose as well as for translations.
The book of stories by the famous writer and translator Rahim Karimov,
"Stories for youbg people" Alma, 2019, which she translated into
Serbian, received the award for the best translated prose book in 2019 by
Literary Translators. Her verses have been translated into 16 world languages,
and the book Odgonetke nežnosti was translated into Romanian in 2022 (Leo
Butnaru translator, Timpul publisher.) She has translated individual stories
and poems of more than 300 authors into Serbian, interviewed all important
creators around the world and interviews were published in more widely read
newspapers or magazines for culture and art. Member of the Association of
Writers of Serbia and Kazakhstan, the Serbian Literary Association, and many
associations in the world. Editor and host of the forum "Literary
Conversations".