PRAYER BEFORE BIRTH translation of poem

TALBA TA' QABEL IT-TWELID
(Qlib tal-poezija "Prayer Before Birth" ta' Louis MacNeice)

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; iss' isimghuni.
Thallux lill-farfett il-lejl, reddiegh id-demm,
thallux lill-gurdien xih, jew l-ermellin,
jew l-ihirsa, jersqu lejja.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; issa farrguni.
Nibza' minn dawk li ghandhom mnejn
wara hitan gholjin jaghlquni,
bi drogi qawwija jraqqduni,
b'gideb mahsub minn qabel, jigbduni u jhajruni,
fuq ghodda sewda ta' hqir jifnuni,
go banjijiet tad-demm igerbuni.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; ahsbuli ghall-ilma
biex wara, fih inkun nista' nitbahbah;
ghall-haxix ha' jikber biex jaghtini l-hajja;
ghas-sigar ha' jkellmuni, ghas-sema ha' jghannili,
ghall-ghasafar u ghad-dawl jixghel go mohhi
biex jurini triqti.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; ahfruli bil-quddiem
ghad-dnubiet li d-dinja mhabba fija ghad taghmel,
ghal fommi meta jlissen x'hemm mistur go fija,
ghal hsiebi li hu x-xebh tieghi nnifsi,
ghat-tradiment tieghi, imheggeg u mixghul
minn tradituri li ma llahhaqx maghhom,
ghal hajti meta joqtlu bis-sahha ta' jdejja,
ghal mewti meta jwellduni.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; ghallmuni bil-quddiem
kif ingib ruhi max-xjuh
meta jwissuni;
u meta l-kbarat jhedduni;
meta l-igbla bla tarf jehduha mieghi u jcanfruni;
jiddiehku bija l-mahbubin;
meta l-mewg abjad isejjahli ghal frughu,
ix-xaghri jghajjatli biex nintemm go fih,
u t-tallâb
ma jilqax l-imhiba li naghtih
u wliedi stess jishtuni.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; isimghu talbi.
Thallux lil dak il-bniedem li hu bhima
jew li jahseb l'hu xi alla,
joqrob lejja.

Jien ghadni ma twelidtx; minn issa mlewni
b'sahha ta' ggant
ghall-glieda mistennija ma' dawk kollha
li jridu jkesshu r-ruh ta' bniedem li jien;
li jridu jahqruni u jgibuni bniedem vojt,
jisirquli sahansitra hsiebi,
li jridu jaghmlu minni sinna go magna,
haga b'wicc wiehed,
haga biss u xejn aktar;
u ma' dawk li jridu jxejnuni,
u bhall-ghallis 'l hawn u 'l hemm
itajruni
jew 'l hawn u 'l hemm bhall-ilma minn hofret l-id
ixerrduni ma' l-art.

Thalluhomx jaghmlu minni gebla
u thalluhomx ixerrduni bhall-ilma.
Inkella oqtluni.

JOE SALIBA (tradittur)

GANNI SAPIANO-LANZON

GIOVANNI SAPIANO-LANZON
(1858 -- 1918)
IL-POEZIJA POPOLARI
TAS-SEKLU DSATAX

Fl-istorja tal-letteratura Maltija tad-dsatax il-seklu l-poezija popolari kienet imfittxa hafna. Dawk li kienu jiktbuha kienu ta' spiss responsabbli ghall-pubblikazzjonijiet taghhom u kienu johorgu l-versi u t-tqabbil taghhom f'xi ktejjeb ta' sittax-il pagna, jew f''xi fuljett jew gurnal ta' dak iz-zmien, bhal nghidu ahna Il-Habbar Malti u In-Nahla Maltija. Kien hemm numru sabih ta' kittieba, imma ftit huma li baqghu jissemmew.
Numru sabih minnhom kienu aktar maghrufa ghat-tqabbil milli ghall-poezija akkademika. Mill-ahjar kienu xi poeti tajba bhal Gananton Vassallo, Dwardu Cachia, u Guzè Muscat-Azzopardi. Mal-poeti nsibu wkoll il-versifikaturi, il-qabbiela li, b'versi hfief kienu jiktbu ballati, kurunelli, innijiet religjuzi u fatti u rakkonti minn xi stejjer Maltin jew Taljani. Fil-versi ta' dawn il-kittieba, ghalkemm nieqsa mill-irqim u mimlija sentimentalità, naraw hafna oqsma tat-tigrib ta' kuljum, bhall-imhabba u xi cajta jew taghlima.
Wiehed minn dawn il-qabbiela popolari kien Giovanni Sapiano-Lanzon (1858-1918). Kien poeta, editur, tradittur u stampatur imfittex. Ghandi tnax mill-kotba tieghu li kien johrog regolarment, u naturalment bl-ortografija ta' zmienu. Dak li ser nikkwota mill-versi tieghu ser ingibu bl-ortografija tal-lum. Dawn huma xi ismijiet tal-pubblikazzjonijiet tieghu: Taqbil Malti, Il-Kitarra Skurdata - Jew - Gabra ta' Ghana Amorus, Il-Fraxketta - Fatt Poezija u Il-Habib tal-Ghannej - Jew - Gabra ta' Ghana Malti. Ma ninsewx li dax-xoghlijiet hargu daqs mitt sena ilu.
Wahda mill-ghanjiet favoriti tieghi hi din li gejja, fejn bi kliem drammatiku, dirett u spontanju, deskrizzjoni naturali tas-sentimenti tal-mahbubin, u b'gheluq mhux mistenni, Sapiano-Lanzon jaghtina gost naqrawh illum, kif bla dubju ta' xejn, ferrah lil dawk li semghuh seklu ilu. Ghaddew erba' generazzjonijiet u ma tbiddel xejn...imhabba, namur, u relazzjonijiet personali, bil-ferh u n-niket li jgibu maghhom…

BURRAXKA KBIRA

X'qieghda nilmah? L-ajru msahhab!
Dan kif tqalleb it-temp f'daqqa?
Xita qliel, sajjetti tfaqqa'
Wahda f'wahda; hwejjeg kbar!
Miskin hu min lahaq hareg
U jinsab boghod mid-dar.

Is-silg niezel, u x'kull wahda!
Daqs gellewza tista' tghid.
Jien ma nafx, ma nafx inghid
X'qieghda nhoss fuqi dal-hin:
Ghax Toninu l-mahbub tieghi
M'hemmx li jigi, x'wahda din!

O li kien ma jdumx, jahasra!
Dak il-gojja tal-qalb tieghi.
Dan il-wahx jekk hu jkun mieghi
Malajr kieku kien imur:
Ma kontx nibqa' izjed bezghana;
Hu jderrili kien zgur.

Oqghod: qieghda fil-bghid nilmah
Zaghzugh gej imghaggel lejja;
Jekk jaraw tajjeb ghajnejja
Hadd m'hu hlief Toninu tieghi.
Iva, hu. Jien qalbi qaltli
Li ma jdumx ma jkun hawn mieghi.

Ara, x'jigri! Kif sar xraba!
Kos, miskin, gie biex jarani!
Skenn xi mkien, Nin, biex fi hdani
Xraba toqtor ma tigix.
Ghalfejn hi dil-ghagla kollha?
Jaqaw hsibt li ma ssibnix?

X'qieghda nilmah, destin kiefer!
Mishut l'hu kif tqarraq bija.
Dak mhux Ninu, dak Mallia,
Sid id-dar li 'l hawnhekk gej.
Ghandu jiehu tliet xhur kera;
Imma jien ma ghandix mnej!!

Barra mir-rakkonti ta' xi disgrazzja, poeziji ta' mhabba, sunetti lil hbiebu, tqabbil fuq iz-zwieg, ghanjiet fuq in-natura, tifhir u pariri lil dawk li kien jaf, osservazzjonijiet fuq ix-xebbiet, il-moda ta' dak iz-zmien u l-brikkunati tan-nisa u tal-irgiel, Sapiano-Lanzon jghidilna li kien dejjem lest biex jiehu l-pariri ta' haddiehor, jekk dawn ikunu ta' siwi ghalih. Hafna mit-tghajjir u l-insulti jidher li qed jaghmilhom biex jiccajta, mhux biex joffendi, kif dejjem ghamlu l-ghannejja, anke ta’ zmienna.
Ghazilt dawn l-istornelli mill-kotba tieghu u s-suggett, ghal darb’ohra, hu l-imhabba.

STORNELLI

Fjur tar-rummien!
Inti tlaqtni, mort qbadt iehor;
X'kont tghid kieku tlaqtek jien?

Fjur tal-pitravi!
Morru ghand Nina, ghidulha, jiena
Qed fis-sodda nghodd it-travi.

Fjur tal-bellus!
Halli nghanni ghax ferhana,
Ghamilt paci mal-gharus!

Fjur tal-buzbiez!
Billi 'l hadd ma sibt min riedni,
Kelli mmur nidhol man-nies.

Fjur tar-rancis!
Kxift ma' min qieghda tinnamra,
U jien nafu: bahri Ingliz!

Fjur tal-bzar!
Ta' hmistax jien bdejt ninnamra,
Ta' hmistax sofrejt l-imrar.

Fjur tan-naghnigh!
Fost il-fjuri l-fjur ta' mhabbti
Nara jien l-iktar sabih.

Nittama li hadtu pjacir taqraw mieghi dawn il-ftit versi helwin ta' kittieb li hadem kif seta' mal-ohrajn ahjar minnu biex l-ilsien Malti jibqa' haj. Ganni Sapiano-Lanzon miet fl-1918, imma xoghlu ghadu maghna, kif nittamaw li jibqa' lsienna f'dal-kontinent tal-Awstralja mitt sena ohra u izjed.

JOE SALIBA

Nota: id-disinn fuq huwa xoghol habiba tieghi minn New Zealand maghrufa bhala Wiki.

WAS SHAKESPEARE A RACIST?

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

WAS SHAKESPEARE A RACIST?

DID HE SUPPORT THE GROUP IN POWER?

In some of his plays Shakespeare (1564-1616) dwells on the problems which arise from power, their origins, their deviations and their consequences. In The Merchant of Venice (1596?) even where Shakespeare is able to appear sympathetic to the outsiders in his society, he tends to support the values of the group in power and thus to maintain the group in power and the status quo.

The story line of the play is uncomplicated. Antonio, the merchant, signs a bond in order to borrow money from Shylock, a Jew, for Bassanio, the lover of Portia. If the loan were paid within three months, only the principal would be required; if not, the Jew should be at liberty to claim a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. The ships of Antonio being delayed, the merchant was unable to meet his bill, and the Jew claimed the forfeiture. Portia in the dress of a law doctor, conducted the defence and saved Antonio by reminding the Jew that the pound of flesh gave him no drop of blood.

In this play the outsider is Shylock the Jewish money-lender, whilst the group in power are the members of the Christian nobility, namely, Antonio, Portia, Bassanio and their friends. Shakespeare certainly ‘appears’ sympathetic towards Shylock and gives some good reasons why the audience should have sympathy for him as we shall see later. As the play develops, however, Shylock’s actions reveal that he is repulsive and unattractive, even though his actions and general attitude are in response to his enemies’ treatment of him. By emphasising the commendable values condemns Shylock. Thus in the long run we see where Shakespeare’s preferences lie, that is, that the friendship, love and harmony of the Christian group, despite the fact that their sense of revenge is not dissimilar to Shylock’s, should be preferred.

One can see Shylock the Jew as either the villain or as the wronged outcast. Both approaches are extremes. By revealing Shylock’s cruelty and cunning, Shakespeare depicts him as one to be despised. On the other hand, the treatment the money-lender receives from the Christian group in power deserves our pity. Generally speaking, although Shakespeare appears to want us to sympathise with Shylock, in fact he does the opposite. By indirectly praising the nobility and rewarding it, Shakespeare condemns the Jewish money-lender. The play, therefore, although it problemises the situation and makes judgement difficult if not impossible, the conclusion reached at the end of the play where we find the nobility rewarded and the outcast punished makes Shakespeare appear more sympathetic towards the ruling class.

Shylock is a Jew, an outsider in Shakespeare’s society. Shakespeare’s audience, as all European countries at the time, were prejudiced against the Jews. Prejudice against the Jews in continental Europe was more violent, where they were confined to ghettos. The practice of usury, denounced by the Christian Church, was sufficient to inspire hatred against the Jewish race, a hatred which no doubt was temporarily intensified by the trial and hanging of Dr Roderigo Lopez, a Jewish physician to Queen Elizabeth, and a spy for Spain, for his alleged attempt to poison the Queen in 1594.1 The Jewish people were traditionally associated with witchcraft and child-stealing, blamed for natural disasters and generally regarded as cruel, loathsome, the scum of the earth and worse than dogs. Shakespeare was brought up in an accepted tradition of anti-Semitism which he may have questioned but never rebelled against.2
Shakespeare gives Shylock some convincing human reasons why he should hate his Christian persecutors. On the surface the playwright seems to echo Sir Walter Raleigh’s comment: “Shylock is a man more sinned against than sinning...[he] pleads the cause of the common humanity against the cruelties of prejudice and has in it something of the nobility of patriotic passion.”3 Two of Shylock’s reasons for his revenge on Antonio are that the Christian merchant lends money gratis, thus endangering Shylock’s own livelihood as money-lender in Venice (1:3:40-41), and because of Antonio’s vile habit of spitting on Shylock’s beard and calling him cut-throat dog. Antonio has no desire to change:
“I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.” (1:3:122-123)

In two great speeches Shakespeare makes Shylock look human, deserving of sympathy and a mouthpiece for the whole persecuted nation. The first is his passionate rhetoric to Salarino:
“He [Antonio] hath disgrac’d me...laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation...and what’s the reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?... hands...affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons...as a Christian is... if a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge!” (3:1:46-63 passim)

Shylock’s plea here is not for tolerance but revenge, which, he says, is also a Christian practice. It is difficult to ignore Shylock’s charge and logic. This is not complimentary in view of Antonio’s insults and Gratiano’s eagerness to meet vengeance with vengeance. It is noted that Shylock’s charges are not effectively answered, except perhaps in the “Quality of Mercy” speech. As a point of debate Shakespeare wants to show Shylock’s humanity, and though an usurer and a Jew, he is still a man. Shylock’s argument for Jewish and Christian kinship is based only on fleshly similarities. Shylock’s speech may give the impression that he is pleading for sympathy but actually he is putting up his case why he should also take revenge as Christians do. Shylock tries to put himself on the same level of the rest of society by indicating that he also has feelings. Therefore he should also take his revenge as the Christians. However his kind of argument would have been ridiculed by the Elizabethan society who regarded minority groups such as the Jews outcasts of society. Yes, social prejudices would have been very high. For Elizabethan audiences the laughable aspect of his argument is that he cannot understand his alienation from the Christian world because he is an outcast Jew, different to the rest of society and therefore has no equal rights to anything, least of all revenge.

The second speech that creates a sense of sympathy for Shylock is his answer to the Duke’s appeal for mercy at the trial:
“You have among you many a purchas’d slave,
Which, like your asses and your dogs and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,
Because you bought them: shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
............................................You will answer
‘The slaves are ours’: so do I answer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought; ’tis mine and I will have it.” (4:1:89-99)
Shylock argues that the pound of flesh is now his, as it would be foolish to ask the Christians to part with their slaves. Although this argument sounds less convincing than the previous speech, the Duke’s plea for mercy looks artificial on account of the equally unmerciful Christian behaviour.

What evidence do we have of the contrary, that is, that Shylock is more a man sinning than sinned against? The loss of his daughter Jessica seems to Shylock a trifle compared with the loss of his money and jewels (2:8:24). Her loss is almost nothing to Shylock. He is more concerned about the loss of his money and precious jewels. It would have been the opinion of the society of that time to regard Shylock as a villain because of his attitude towards his daughter. Jessica’s elopement, her hatred of her father and hellish home (2:3:2), her flight with the Christian Lorenzo, and her theft are to a large extent all justified in the eyes of the Elizabethan and Christian audiences. No doubt, that despite the intense racial prejudice against the Jewish nation some people in the audience would feel some qualm and would judge the matter according to their conscience. Moreover, Jessica’s sympathy for “poor Antonio” (3:2:281-285) brands Shylock as an outcast, not only from the Christian world but from all humanity. Shylock makes himself appear a complete villain by his diabolical wish, “I would my daughter were dead at my feet and the jewels in her ear” (3:1:77).

There is not one line in the entire play in which Shylock expresses affection for his daughter. Jessica’s values are not those of her father. Her unhappiness at home is substantiated by the Shylock who goes to dinner in “hate, to feed upon the prodigal Christian [Bassanio]” (2:5:15), who scorns music and merriment, instructs Jessica to “let not the sound of shallow poppery enter my sober house”, and leaves her behind locked doors (2:5:28-35). Shakespeare depicts Shylock unable to express affection, whilst Antonio, for all his faults, is portrayed as one who understands what love is all about. Shakespeare characterises Shylock as cruel and repulsive with the aim that society might turn to the nobility and its attractive elements of love and generosity.

Shylock despises Antonio. From the moment he creates the bond, Shylock longs for forfeiture, and reminds Antonio’s friends, “Let Antonio look to his bond” (3:1:43). He is willing to take an outside chance that his fondest dream of vengeance will be fulfilled and he would carve from Antonio a pound of flesh. So engrossed in revenge, Shylock refuses to give to the Duke his reason why he prefers “a weight of carrion flesh” (4:1:41) to three thousand ducats. Shylock’s point would be that his reason is not relevant to this aspect of the bond. There is nothing more fiendish to a Christian audience than to demand death for a noble, generous gentleman as Antonio, without a reason!

It was the duty of all Renaissance Christians to bring everyone into the noble Christian household. Launcelot’s leaving Shylock and joining in Bassanio’s service is an indication of the clown’s salvation from the alleged barbaric and evil ways of the Jewish usurer. By this episode of Launcelot deserting his master Shylock whom he describes as mean and “the very devil incarnal” (2:2:23), and by the tormenting of Shylock by Tubal (a Jew and a fellow-usurer) (3:1:105), we are led to believe that Shylock does not deserve sympathy. It has been suggested that by emphasising the loss of money and jewels through Jessica’s elopement, Tubal was really tormenting or torturing Shylock perhaps for some grudge he might have had for Shylock, or because of jealousy.

Though Shakespeare gives good reasons for Shylock’s vengefulness, which we see acted out by the other characters, he also makes him an object of contempt and derision. A Jew’s revenge on a Christian, however good its reasons, would be viewed as an atrocity, and Christian persecution as justifiable retaliation. It is clear that Shakespeare deliberately weighted the scales very heavily against the Jew. Any transient sympathy for Shylock disappears in support of the values of the group in power, the nobility. Shakespeare wants us to know that the nobility’s attributes for friendship, generosity and love are to be honoured, commended and approved whilst Shylock’s avarice and vengeful spirit are to be condemned. Thus in the play Shakespeare creates a number of rewards to those who show noble values.

To emphasise, therefore, the attractiveness of the nobility - and Antonio as a merchant would have been regarded by the Elizabethan society as a member of the upper class, the group in power, and thus by association, part of the nobility, the genteel society - Shakespeare puts the spotlight on Antonio’s generosity, friendliness and calm endurance. He is extolled by his many friends, especially Bassanio who declares to Portia:
“The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
The best condition’d and the unweari’d spirit
In doing courtesies, and in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears
Than any that draws breath in Italy.” (3:2:287-291)
Antonio goes as far as borrowing from his arch-enemy Shylock to finance Bassanio’s courtship and signing such a sinister bond that even Bassanio is alarmed at the risk involved. As an effective symbol of wronged innocence, Antonio appears helpless and down trodden, thus evoking more sympathy. This makes Shylock’s revenge look monstrous and Portia’s verdict presumably just. Shylock’s failed attempt to get his pound of flesh makes him look more monstrous in the eyes of society and thus Antonio even more attractive than before. As soon as Shylock’s plot is foiled, Antonio stands out as an even more ideal Christian gentleman, a perfect example for the group in power to emulate.

Antonio is the exemplary Renaissance man. He represents the idea of nobility in friendship. Shakespeare and his contemporaries fully believed that nobility in friendship reflected nobility of heart. We are constantly reminded of the extent of Antonio’s virtues. He promises Bassanio his “purse”, his “person” and his “extremist means” (1:1:138) to win for himself lady Portia. Before the trial, Portia, learning of Antonio’s danger, unhesitatingly sends away her newly acquired husband Bassanio with an offer of payment to Shylock:
“Pay him six thousand and deface the bond.
Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this description
Shall lose a hair through Bassanio’s fault.” (3:2:300-304)
Given power over his “murderer” Shylock, he seeks the man’s salvation and not his destruction as he recommends that Shylock should be made a Christian. Provided with the means of restoring his lost wealth, he thinks first of Lorenzo and Jessica whom he wants to inherit Shylock’s wealth (4:1:386), even though his ships do come in after all. In the trial scene he also meets Shylock’s senseless rage with “quietness of spirit” (4:1:12). In the end Antonio’s friendship and generosity are rewarded. He does not fall victim to Shylock’s revenge, but instead, his circle of friends increases through Portia and her household.

There are bountiful rewards also for the noble and handsome Bassanio. He wins Portia and her fortune. For his sake, she wishes that she were “A thousand times more fair, / Ten thousand times as rich” (3:2:154). In the world of romance, money and love are complementary to each other. Riches, according to the play, are merely another expression of the happy wealth and plenty surrounding the Christian world. Even though this is a marvellous justification for greed, the group in power is made to appear to be accepted and preferred and recognised as ideal. Thus its ways are justified.

Love also comes to Jessica and Lorenzo. Her disassociation from the isolated life in her father’s house signifies her freedom from evil and corruption. For the Elizabethan Christian audience Jessica’s deception and theft would be tolerated acts because her marriage to Lorenzo is the only means of her salvation. By becoming a Christian through her marriage, she is abundantly rewarded. She enters the world of Belmont where love, friendship, generosity and wealth abound. Of course there is irony in all of this. But the Elizabethan society, even though she steals from her father, is driven to the point of blind approval of her elopement.

The nobility returns to Belmont. No one mentions ducats, bonds or knives. Shylock is forgotten, the nobility is intact and Shakespeare has delivered his message - the virtue of the ideal Christian world rewards itself and casts away its enemies at all levels - Portia her un-Christian suitors, Jessica her heritage, and Antonio his antagonist. Although our sympathies might be aroused because Shylock is shown no mercy and he leaves the court a suffering and broken old man, we are also amazed at those who hate him who receive much more than they are entitled to. The status quo has been approved and preserved and once again good, despite its many weaknesses, has triumphed over what is envisaged as evil. Approval, however, is no guarantee that a thing is right in itself, but that hopefully its faults are few.
* * * * *

NOTES
The quotations followed by their act, scene and verse number are from the following text:
SHAKESPEARE , The Merchant of Venice, edited by Taylor A. B., Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1953.
1. SHAKESPEARE, The Merchant of Venice, edited by Taylor A. B., Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1953, p. 19.
2. EDITORIAL BOARD, The Merchant of Venice, Coles Notes, Coles Publishing Co., Canada, (no date), p. 17.
3. SHAKESPEARE, loc. cit..
ESSAY COMPLETED ON 20.7.1983

JOE SALIBA

RIGU BOVINGDON STUDJU

RIGU BOVINGDON

Rigu (Roderick) Bovingdon twieled H’Attard fl-1942 minn Rebekka Debono u Henry Charles Bovingdon, Ingliz imwieled l-Afrika t’Isfel. Wara xi snin is-Seminarju siefer ma’ familtu u wasal l-Awstralja fl-1959.

Hadem go fabbrika tal-hwejjeg, imbaghad ma’ kumpanija tal-inxurjans, dahal ma’ tal-Muzew u studja mal-Patrijiet Kapuccini.Telaq u beda x-xoghol tieghu bhala infermier psikjatriku waqt li kompla jistudja l-psikologija u l-psikjatrija minfejn spicca mjegat bhala Ufficjal Amministrattiv mal-Gvern Statali ta’ N.S.W.

Fl-1965 izzewwweg lil Iris Pace u ghandu zewg subien.

Il-kontribuzzjonijiet tieghu huma varji u mumeruzi: ko-pijunier tad-diska Maltija fl-Awstralja; ghannej u kantawtur; awtur ta’ studji serji ta’ kritika letterarja u lingwistika; intervistatur ma’ personalitajiet prominenti Maltin u barranin; kelliemi fuq ir-radju etniku dwar il-lingwa taghna l-Maltin; minn tal-ewwel li ghaqqad klassi ghat-taghlim tal-Malti fl-Awstralja; jinpenja ruhu fil-gurnalizmu u r-ricerka storika dwar l-ewwel Maltin li ssetiljaw fl-Awstralja; u kiseb il-bacellerat fl-Arti bl-Unuri fil-Lingwistika mill-Universita’ ta’ Malta. Fi ftit kliem, Rigu “sikwit spikka fl-art il-gdida, fost il-protagonisti ewlenija fit-tmexxija tal-Kawza Maltija”.

Awtur tal-kotba ta’ poeziji BEJN HALTEJN u APORIJA u ko-awtur m’ohrajn fl-Awstralja tal-pubblikazzjoni IRJIEH. Wiehed mit-tliet rebbieha tal-Premju Francis Ebejer bid-dramm tieghu TABU’.


MILL-GDID MALTI

Mhux lewn il-gilda jew kunjom idakkrek;
il-Bajda u Hamra biss qatt kelli f'qalbi.
Tas-safa l-bjuda, minn gebbieda twila
ta' qalbenin Maltin; kburin bil-hmura
ta' demm, ibaqbaq l-ghajta ta' gensih.
U Bajda u Hamra biss qatt kienet fija,
li f'namra kolonjali mn'omm rahlija,
ma' l-Union Jack, intrabtet il-bandiera
u tnissilt jien; wild l-Anglu ma' Maltija.
Go rahal eqdem minn Stonehenge jew Mnajdra,
fejn jekk tissemma' sew, il-eku taqbad
tal-vina pura -- wild il-art Maltija.
Kemm bkejt! Ghalejt! Turmenti kbar ghaddejt
bla hadd li jifhem tal-gewwien l-ugigh!
Kemm ljieli twal tqallibt u dmughi carcru
fil-qalb ta' qalbi nrahham il-gustizzja!

Mill-guf matern mibzuq, snin twal, imcahhad,
nittallab, bhall-mofqara, drittijieti.
Meghlub, mifni, miflug, imghattan, mghakkes --
l-imhabba ma tlift qatt ghall-ideal.
Ghotort! Inxift! il-hajr’ ghall-hajja tlift!
'Ma kliemi, ghelmi, ghozzti, kollhom kxift.

Wil-Bajda w Hamra li fic-cpar inhbiet
ghal ftit waqtiet, minghajr ma qatt intfiet
ghalkemm imkasbra mill-gewwien tad-dar,
bil-gamar tat-trobbija baqghet fija
sakemm wara kalvarju ta' turmenti,
mill-gdid fuq l-orizzont ilmiet id-dija
go qalb li qatt ma cahdet l'hi Maltija.

RIGU BOVINGDON
Dil-poezija ghandha 88 nota ta’ spjepazzjoni mizjuda mill-awtur.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ANALIZI U XI RIFLESSJONIJIET
WARA LI QRAJT IL-POEZIJA
‘MILL-GDID MALTI’
TA' RIGU BOVINGDON

(STUDJU KRITIKU)

Ghal xi raguni jew ohra, ghadd sabih ta' poeti Maltin sabu ruhhom fizikament barra minn Malta, bhala turisti, ghal xi avventura, ghall-istudju jew ghax-xoghol. Ohrajn immaginaw ruhhom f'artijiet barranija. Hafna minnhom hallewlna l-esperjenzi taghhom fil-kitba. Hemm differenza kbira fi hsibijiet il-poeta li jsiefer bl-immaginazzjoni biss, jew l-iehor li jhalli Malta ghal xi ftit zmien ghax jaf li ghandu jmur lura, jew l-iehor li jsiefer bil-ghan li jissetilja f'pajjiz iehor, bhall-Awstralja. It-tielet tip ta' poeta Malti emigrant aktarx jasal zmien meta jhossu mifrud, maqtugh, izolat minn Malta. Mhux ta' xejn, mela, li, fil-poezija tieghu 'L-Ghanja Ta' Wiehed Imsiefer' fil-ktieb NIRIEN, il-poeta Karmenu Vassallo jimmagina l-emigrant Malti jitniehed ghall-hlewwa ta' art twelidu. Fil-fehma tieghi dat-tnehid ikun aktar qawwi meta dak l-emigrant ikun poeta wkoll.
It-tnehida tal-poeta Malti-Awstraljan tiehu ghamliet varji, bhal, nghidu ahna, hsus u hsibijiet nostalgici, referenzi diretti u indiretti ghal Malta u l-kultura Maltija, espressjonijiet li jixhdu t-trobbija f'Malta, u lessiku u lingwagg awtentici Maltin. Fil-kaz tal-poeta Malti-Awstraljan Rigu Bovingdon, dit-tnehida kienet rizultat mhux biss tas-safar imma wkoll ta' "drittijiet” michudin lilu.
Nammetti li qabel ma qrajt 'Mill-Gdid Malti' u n-noti fuqha, jien qatt ma kont nobsor li Bovingdon kien klassifikat bhala proxxmu Ingliz u mhux Malti. Infatti, kif jgharrafna hu stess, dam 25 sena (1964-1989) jithabat mal-burokrazija biex jinghad bhala sudditu Malti.
M'ghandix ghalfejn noqghod nigbed fit-tul biex infisser il-hidma letterarja, socjali u kulturali ta' Bovingdon. Inghid biss li hadem qatigh, u xi drabi kien ukoll ta' l-ewwel, qalb il-Maltin u l-barranin fl-Awstralja, biex ilsienna u l-kultura taghna jibqghu hajja u jikbru dejjem izjed. Dan ghamlu, u ghadu jaghmlu, bil-kitba u bil-kelma.
Is-sorpriza tieghi m'hix bla bazi. Fil-versi tieghu ppublikati s'issa, qabel dil-poezija, jien qatt ma rajt xejn li jirreferi ghall-qaghda straordinarja tieghu. Bovingdon ma jidher qatt li kiteb, jew ghallanqas ippublika, xi versi fuq is-sitwazzjoni tieghu ta' wiehed Malti-li-m'hux-Malti. Bil-maqlub, Bovingdon dejjem ftahar b'art twelidu: "ninsab fizikament hawn, spiritwalment ghadni nghix Malta." (INTERVISTI -- Jitkellmu Kittieba Maltin-Awstraljani, Joseph Chetcuti, Phillip Institute Of Technology, 1985, p. 38). Hekk kiteb fuqu Oliver Friggieri fid-dahla ghal ktiebu BEJN HALTEJN (1982): "Dan il-qtugh mill-pajjiz hu reali, izda ma jmissx it-territorji ta' l-ispirtu." Friggieri jishaq fuq l-elementi l-aktar qawwija tal-ktieb, jigifieri l-imhabba, ir-rispett u l-passjoni ta' Bovingdon lejn art twelidu.
B'dis-sorpriza tieghi ma rridx inwarrab il-possibiltà li jista' jkun hemm xi referenza ghall-qaghda Bovingdonjana fil-versi li hareg. Fil-ktieb tieghu BEJN HALTEJN u fl-iehor IRJIEH (1986) li tieghu hu ko-awtur, wiehed jista' forsi jara xi hjiel ta' izolament spiritwali u abbandun, kagun tac-cahda tac-cittadinanza Maltija. Kollox jiddependi kif wiehed jinterpreta l-versi. Niehu xi ezempji mill-ewwel ktieb. Ghalkemm mhux imfisser car u tond, ma nistaghgibx jekk Bovingdon kellu f'mohhu jew fis-sukkonxju din ic-cahda u r-reazzjoni naturali tieghu meta kiteb il-poezija 'Illuzjoni' (p. 25):
Bit-tbissima fuq xoffejja,
O kemm nistor dipressjoni!
Kulma ridt u hlomt f'zghoziti
Illum sibtu illuzjoni.
Naraw f'dal-versi mumenti ta' tnehid gewwieni, qtigh il-qalb u ghaja mentali. Tinghafas il-qalb tal-poeta waqt li jipprova juri wicc ferhan, hu u jzomm go fih l-insult kbir li ghamillu hajtu xmara ta' niket. Fl-istess ktieb, Bovingdon ghandu poezija bl-isem 'Il-Ballata Ta' Truganini' (p. 26). Truganini kienet l-ahhar principessa jew mexxejja aborigni fit-Tazmanja qabel ma l-Ewropej tefghuha l-habs u qatluha. X'seta' harrek lill-poeta li jikteb fuq dil-grajja sewda fl-istorja kolonjali ta' l-Awstralja? Forsi hass li kellu mitt ragun li jidentifika ruhu maghha, ghax bhalu, hi kienet vittma ta' dawk li ma kellhomx jedd fuqha u fil-fatt hi nqatlet f'pajjizha stess. Ix-xebh fiz-zewg cirkostanzi hu ovvju.
It-tbatija psikologika tal-poeta minhabba n-nuqqas ta' gustizzja immeritata, ghandha mnejn tixref ukoll f'xi versi ta' IRJIEH. Per ezempju, f''Qirda' (p. 101) jisthajlu, forsi, bhat-tajra tal-passa li tinqered fejn hasbet li ser issib l-hena u l-mistrieh? It-tajra ssib il-mewt fejn xtaqet li ssib il-hajja. Gralu hekk il-poeta, simbolikament? Ihossu mitluf, miftum u nieqes minn xi haga essenzjali tal-hajja fil-poezija 'Meta L-Qalb' (p. 95):
Meta l-qalb ma tkunx f'sikkitha
.....
thossha zejda, imkeccija.
U l-mewt tal-mahbub missieru fl-elegija 'Lilek' (p. 98) tnikktu u fl-istess hin tfarrgu bil-fatt li missieru m'ghadux ibati bhalu, f'did-dinja ta' wgigh u niket. Izda hu, il-poeta, ghadu jissielet kontra l-ingustizzji li sarulu. Min miet qed jistrieh:
m'hemmx niket ghal min heles mit-tbatija.
Minkejja l-ftit versi mferrxin li semmejt li wiehed jista' jinterpretahom bhala hjiel zghir tal-glieda gewwinija ta' Bovingdon, is-suggett shih tal-poezija 'Mill-Gdid Malti' hu gdid ghalija. Dil-bicca xoghol letterarja-awtobijografika nisthajjilha sajjetta u raghda mhux mistennija: sajjetta, ghad-dawl gdid li titfa' fuq il-hajja tal-poeta, u raghda, ghall-effett taghha li ghadu jdamdam f'mohhi.
Issa nigu ghall-poezija nfisha. Il-hsieb taghha hu r-realtà tas-sitwazzjoni partikulari ta' Bovingdon. Mitwieled Malta minn omm Maltija u missier Ingliz, il-poeta kien meqjus Ingliz skond il-ligi. Madankollu hu dejjem ghodd lilu nnifsu bhala Malti. L-identità tieghu ma setghetx tkun ghajr dik Maltija. Fuq hekk, thabat hafna biex ikun maghdud ufficjalment bhala sudditu Malti. Minkejja t-tfixkil u n-nuqqas ta' kooperazzjoni minn hafna nahat, il-glieda ta' 25 sena fl-ahhar spiccat favur tieghu. L-akbar xewqa ta' hajtu rnexxiet. Id-dawl rebah fuq id-dlam. Biex wiehed jifhem ahjar id-dettalji ta' dal-kaz in-noti ta' l-awtur huma essenzjali.
Il-process tal-kitba li Bovingdon jiehu f'idejh biex jaghtina l-messagg tal-versi tieghu bl-istadji mehtiega sakemm jasal ghas-soluzzjoni tal-problema tieghu, jibda billi jistabbilixxi l-identità tal-poeta, bniedem li twieled Malta u li kiber f'dak l-ambjent. L-enfasi qieghed fuq twemmin l-awtur li hu, bla ebda dubju, "wild il-art Maltija", wild dak il-gens b'demm ahmar ibaqbaq, mimli qlubija u kburija, bicca mill-"vina pura" li gejja mill-ibghad zminijiet. L-abjad tal-bandiera Maltija jinhass bhala simbolu ta' gens safi, fis-sens li hu uniku u gej mill-boghod, car u identiku. L-ahmar tal-bandiera jirrifletti l-qlubija tal-Maltin. Il-kelma "qalb", ma' xi kliem iehor li gej minnha, tidher hames darbiet matul id-29 vers tal-poezija. Ghax il-qalb minn dejjem kienet sinonima ma' l-imhabba, ma tidhirx li hi xi kumbinazzjoni li l-awtur dahhal dil-kelma daqshekk drabi, bhala xhieda ta' mhabbtu lejn artu li bdiet ma' twelidu f'H'Attard. L-importanza ta' l-identità Maltija tieghu tizdied aktar meta jtarrfilna li H'Attard hu aktar qadim mill-bini arkeologiku ta' Stonehenge jew l-Imnajdra.
F'BEJN HALTEJN niltaqghu ma' hafna referenzi ghall-imhabba tal-poeta lejn Malta, poeziji bhal 'Tfuliti F'Malta' (p. 60), 'Lil Filfla' (p. 17), 'Quddiem L-Istatwa Ta' Ninu Cremona' (p. 41), u 'Lill-Gens Malti' (p. 13). F'din ta' l-ahhar jinghaqdu flimkien l-imhabba, il-qima u r-rispett ta' Bovingdon lejn art twelidu:
Ja Malta! Malta Tieghi!
Daqs ommi nqimek jiena.
Fil-poezija 'Lilek' (p. 90) f’’IRJIEH jiftakar b'ghozza kbira dawk il-jiem li qatta' ma' missieru jigri fil-kampanja Maltija. Kollox ma' kollox, l-identità Maltija li l-poeta jhoss li saret bicca mill-personalità tieghu, tidher mill-ghazla tal-lessiku u l-lingwagg, mis-sensibiltà ta' l-awtur u mill-bixra ta' l-atmosfera lokali li ma tistax titfixkilha ma' ta' xi artijiet ohra. Il-kunjom u l-lewn tal-gilda ma jghoddu xejn fid-decizjoni ta' min hu u m'hux Malti tassew. Il-qalb u l-imhabba u l-lealtà assoluta jiddeciedu li twieled Malti u li hu tassew "wild il-art Maltija".
Il-paradoss fl-adorazzjoni tal-poeta ta' artu jinsab fir-realtà ta' kif in-namur, l-imhabba u l-ghaqda ta' zewg mahbubin, ragel Ingliz u mara Maltija, gabulu did-dilemma f'hajtu. L-irbit taz-zewg nahat ta' razztu, bil-kuntrasti u l-paraguni li jirrizultaw minnhom, jixirfu fl-uzu ta' gruppi ta' kliem maghzulin ghal dan l-effett. Fuq in-naha tar-razza t'ommu ghandna "omm rahlija", "rahal eqdem", u "Mnajdra"; u fuq in-naha ta' gens missieru nsibu "Stonehenge", "anglu", u "Union Jack". U fuq kollox jaqa' d-dell ta' "namra kolonjali", li flok ma gabet hena u risq f'hajjet il-poeta sensittiv, gabet in-niket u c-cahda.
Hasra li r-rizultat ta' l-imhabba tal-genituri kien ta' "turmenti kbar" ghall-poeta minn hafna mkejjen. Hadd ma kellu s-setgha jifhem l-ugigh ta' qalb li ghadda minnu, waqt li bhal tallab saqqaf wiccu biex tintwera gustizzja. Imma l-gustizzja baqghet ghamja u truxa. Hekk imwarrab, minsi u michud, hassu "mill-guf matern mibzuq", deskrizzjoni qawwija u f'waqtha ta' realtà u simbolizmu fejn il-qtugh u l-firda donnhom kienu jghoddu kemm ghal ommu tad-demm u l-laham u kemm ghal ommu l-ohra, Malta. Deherlu li kien irrifjutat, maqtugh, mifrud minn dak li kien tieghu. U "meghlub, mifni, miflug, imghattan, mghakkes", hekk li ddejjaq mill-hajja, Bovingdon ma stahax juri ghommtu ma' haddiehor. Kien hemm dawk li ppruvaw jghinuh u dawk, sahansitra, ta' gewwa, li ddiehku bih minhabba l-entuzjazmu qawwi li wera ghall-ideal.
Wasal zmien meta kien ghoddu qata' jiesu li jirbah il-battalja. Ghal xi waqtiet l-ilwien li tant habb donnhom bdew jisparixxaw taht it-toqol ta' ghommtu, ghalkemm qatt ma tilfu t-tifsira taghhom. L-imhabba u l-identità tieghu baqghu jmexxuh lejn il-quccata ta' l-ideal tieghu. It-triq kienet iebsa, u l-moghdija, mimlija "turmenti kbar", issa nbidlet f'"kalvarju ta' turmenti". It-telgha saret aktar wieqfa, u l-kalvarju seta' sfalu jew mewt dejjiema jew hajja ta' dawl u dija. Il-"gamra tat-trobbija" bhala Malti ssoktat tkebbsu u theggu, b'tama ta' rebh.
It-trijonf misthoqq jaghtihulna bi ftit kliem adattat:
mill-gdid fuq l-orizzont ilmiet id-dija
go qalb li qatt ma cahdet l'hi Maltija.
Jekk is-27 vers ta' qabel dawn it-tnejn ta' l-ahhar huma realistici ghall-ahhar, il-poeta deherlu li l-bidla u r-rebha jitfissru ahjar bi kliem simboliku, mistiku, u ftit li xejn ermetku, bix-xbieha tal-jum wara l-lejl, id-dija wara d-dlam, id-dija fil-quccata ta' kalvarju mdallam. It-tragedja ta' tigribu issa ntemmet kif xtaq hu. Dak li kien imcahhad minnu, issa sar tieghu kif jisthoqqlu. It-tnehida tal-poeta-emigrant-imcahhad inbidlet f'ghajta ta' ferh u celebrazzjoni.
Fil-versi ta' 'Mill-Gdid Malti' Bovingdon irnexxielu jaghtina kwadru haj ta' dilemma risolvuta, ta' kif il-ligijiet umani li, l-ghan taghhom hu li jzommu lill-bniedem qawwi u shih u 'l boghod mit-tigrib, jistghu, f'xi cirkostanzi, jaghmlu l-maqlub u jghattnu 'l dak li jkun taht il-madmad taghhom. Fuq kollox, nitghallmu mill-kuragg u d-determinazzjoni ta' Rigu Bovingdon li wassluh f'dak l-imkien minn fejn hu qatt ma tharrek jew tbieghed spiritwalment. Ghalhekk nifirhu mieghu li hu 'Mill-Gdid Malti'.

15.5.1990

Dan l-istudju ta’ Joe Saliba deher fit-’Taqsima Letterarja’ tal-gazzetta IL-MALTIJA ta’ Marzu, 1997 u fil-pubblikazzjoni ta’ Bovingdon innifsu bl-isem APORIJA (2002).

ULURU new poetry book for sale

ULURU
KTIEB GDID TA’ POEZIJI
TA’
JOE SALIBA
2009

Daqs A5; pagni 72; poeziji 87; bijografija.

Barra minn ghadd ta’ kontribuzzjonijiet f’antologiji ko-awturati, ULURU huwa s-seba’ gabra ta’ poeziji li JOE SALIBA hareg f’dawn l-ahhar hamsin sena li ilu jghix fl-Awstralja.

B’disinn originali bil-kulur li jzejjen il-qoxra ta’ quddiem bi xbieha tal-monolit Awstraljan ULURU (Ayers Rock) li ghalih imsemmi l-ktieb u stampat b’tipi cari fuq karta tajba u b’sahhitha u bijografija fuq il-qoxra ta’ wara, dan il-ktieb jigbor fih 87 poezija fuq diversi temi, xi whud minnhom kontraversjali. It-trattament tas-suggetti huwa liriku u personali ghall-ahhar.

It-temi dominanti mhumiex tal-wicc, imma jitrattaw il-hajja tal-poeta f’livelli kulturali, socjologici u psikologici fejn l-emozzjoni u r-raguni jippruvaw izommu bilanc prattiku f’dinja modernista fejn il-verità u l-gmiel tilfu, fil-fehma tal-awtur, kull impenn mill-bicca l-kbira tal-bnedmin. Ghalhekk jiehdu sura mhux mistennija t-temi tal-poeta, emigrant Malti fl-Awstralja b’identità konfuza, zghozitu b’religjon u spiritwalità godda, id-dinja multikulturali ta’ madwaru, imhabbietu, iz-zwieg ma’ martu Ingliza/Awstraljana, il-familja u xjuhitu f’art gdida li adottatu.

Jekk huwa possibli, l-awtur jixtieq li ULURU jinqara bla ebda pregudizzju ta’ religjon u patrija. Li kiteb ma kitbux b’kapricc, imma b’konvinzjoni tal-kuzjenza li tghidlu li kellu jiktbu. Halla barra ghadd ta’ poeziji tal-istess xejra li seta’ dahhalhom biex isahhah twemminu. M’ghamilx dan biex ma jidhirx dommatiku zzejjed. Dan ma jfissirx li qed jitlob apologija. M’ghandux ghalfejn. Ghalih il-kitba tal-poezija ghandha tirrifletti l-hajja reali tal-poeta nnifsu. Ma’ dan jghodd li fi lsienna sab l-aqwa ghodda li Alla zejnu biha biex ifahhar lilu u l-pjan divin tieghu ghal dinjitna li b’hasra ftit jafu bih.

Il-ktieb ULURU jinsab ghall-bejgh minghand l-awtur.
Ikteb lilu fuq dan l-indirizz elettroniku: jpasal@optusnet.com.au

Il-hlas ghandu jsir b’forma ta’ Bank Cheque lil JOE SALIBA.

Dal-hlas jinkludi l-pustagg bl-ajru.
Fl-Awstralja: $7 (dollari Awstraljani)
Malta: 15 Euros
Minn pajjizi ohra somma ekwivalenti ghal 15-il Euro.

MANUEL CASHA

MANUEL CASHA

Twieled il-Birgu fit-13.12.1944 u trabba l-Kalkara. Studja f’De La Salle College. Emigra ghall-Awstralja fl-1963, fejn kompla jistudja. Mizzewweg lil Lesley Poyner u ghandhom zewgt itfal. Kiteb poezija, proza, u xoghlijiet muzikali ghall-palk, fosthom Il-Hanut ta’ Dwinu (1992), Kadanza (1998) u Malet (1999). Daqq ma’ gruppi ta’ muzika popolari. Barra li kiteb, irrekordja u pproduca kanzunetti u albums ghal kantanti u muzicisti Maltin, hareg l-albums personali, Fl-Abjad u L-Iswed, Rakkonti Mis-Seklu Ghoxrin, Neon u Tila mal-Budaj. Ma’ shabu hareg is-CD Veduti. Ha sehem u pprezenta programmi fuq l-istazzjonijiet tar-radju 3ZZ, 3EA, 3ZZZ, SBS, ABC u 3LO. Ghamel studju fuq il-muzika tradizzjonali tal-ghana u l-prejjem Maltin. Ko-awtur tal-ktieb ta’ poeziji Bejn Vjagg u Iehor (1979) u kontributur fl-antologiji Irjieh (1986) u Frott Iehor (1992) tal-Maltese Literature Group (Awstralja).

Mill-antologija Oceghanja li taghha Manuel huwa ko-awtur ghazilt dawn it-tliet poeziji li gejjin. F’dawn il-versi l-poeta jikxef hsibijietu u jghidilna xi jhoss f’dawn ic-cirkostanzi privati: waqt vjagg fuq il-ferrovija li jkollna naghmlu ta’ sikwit f’dan il-kontinenet hekk kbir anki biex forsi mmorru ghax-xoghol; stat ta’ mhabba li taghha ma jizvelax id-dettalji; u x-xewqa tal-poeta li jipprova jsib il-mistrieh fil-konteplazzjoni ghall-kreattività artistika.


BILJETT

Xtrajt biljett tat-tren bla stiva,
garrejt mieghi biss il-hsieb,
Boghod mit-tieqa li turini,

Fejn hallejt...
Fejn wasalt...
Fejn sejjer...

Inxthett fost il-qlub mahruba,
Dizulluzi halleqin.
Taht l-avviz li jikkmanda,

La tpejjipx...
La tahsibx...
La tohlomx...

Boghod mill-hgieg li jirrifletti,
L-ucuh taghna imhassrin
B'gomom ta' min hu newtrali,
Maskarati, imgarrbin,

Fid-dlam...
Bla lsien...
Bla mhuh...

Id l-arlogg fil-hdax imwahhla,
Waqqfet habel id-destin
F'harba minn tjassir l-iskeda

Bla sensi...
Bla ghagla...
Bla tmiem...

Fejn il-karba tas-suffara,
Fil-lejl tidwi minghajr hoss,
Tmut fid-dalma ta' lejl iehor,
Xhin it-tren jghaddi mill-foss

Fil-wied...
Fis-skiet...
Fis-swied...


BIRDA

Bhal faham sewdieni
li mifrud mill-huggiega
jitlef hmuritu w jiksah...
iz-zmien berred ix-xrar...

Iz-ziffa tal-harifa qallbet
il-pagni lejn zmien minsi tar-rebbiegha
qabel ma gheb is-sajf
fi fdal ta’ memorji mcajpra
u skiet mohh imdamdam.

Minn hsejjes ta’ qlugh l-ghixien
smajtek issejjahli,
izda hallejt l-eku jintefa
f’widien ta’ prokrastinazzjoni.

Issa li l-ghasafar bdew ihejju
biex isiefru ghall-ahhar xitwa,
ftakart fik
u l-parti minn ruhi
li ma tajtnix lura...


GHALIJA BISS

Issemmilix ismijiet
jew liema filosofija
mahkum minnha,
x’rajt jien fik
jew int x’rajt fija,
toqob fl-Ozone
ajru mhammeg
jew zbilanc fl-ekologija,
tfal imgewha, f’xaghri niexfa,
dbieben, kokroc,
nies minsija,
l-ingustizzja ta’ did-dinja
min ihobbok, min joboghdok,
min hu mghawweg, min hu linja...
Issemmix geografija,
geometrija,
w gerarkija,
id-distanzi li qed tilmah
go ghajnejja
u il-firda,
tal-holm tieghi,
il-barzakka,
u l-kitarra
u t-triq li ghad tisraqni...
baxxi harstek suspettuza,
tgharrixx ghall-iskizofranja,
in-Nirvana,
titlobx l-ghana
illi l-bierah
qalbek mela,
ziffen ruhek
f’tlugh it-telgha,
f’tlugh it-tarag
tlieta, tlieta,
f’toroq twal,
itturufnati
fejn int fija sibt il-farag...

Jekk minn ghandi trid li weghedtek
nghidlek li ghidt lil kulhadd
dan il-jum hu biss ghalija
m’iniex lest naqsmu ma’ hadd

Xbajt mis-“soltu”
xbajt mill-“fiss”
dan il-jum ghalija biss...

THE BACCHAE by EURIPIDES

THE
COLOUR
WHEEL


A COLLECTION OF LITERARY ESSAYS
ON
HUMAN VALUES,
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICTS
FROM EURIPIDES TO LOWELL

THIS IS THE FIRST OF A NUMBER OF LITERARY ESSAYS

THAT I WILL BE POSTING FROM TIME TO TIME

ESSAY 1

INNER CONFLICT
IN THE FACE OF SOCIAL PRESSURES
THE BACCHAE
EURIPIDES

The story of The Bacchae (c. 405 B. C.) by Euripides (c. 480-406 B. C.), briefly, is that of Pentheus, King of Thebes, as he attempts to stop the people of his city, especially the frenzied women, from following the new god Dionysus. While spying upon the maddened women on the mountain, Pentheus is mistaken for a lion by Agave his mother and the other female bacchants who tear him to pieces. Agave, still in delirium, carries his severed head to the city where she comes to her senses and realises that she has murdered her son.
Euripides’ play still attracts different interpretations. It is seen, for example, as a study in madness or Dionysian hysteria, public folly, the power of the gods over the feebleness of humanity, the repression and release of human, but particularly sexual instincts, and the loss of human dignity through animalistic instincts. Commentators continue to elicit morals and lessons from it, such as, that extremes of passions are dangerous, that you destroy yourself by trying to subdue the free forces of life, that it is futile to fight against great odds and that “human frailties are so great, laws are so numerous and society is so complex that few can escape.”1
The above themes are certainly part of The Bacchae. My view, however, of what the play is about is on the principle of what G. S. Kirk writes in the introduction to his translation of the text, namely that, “often his [Euripides] main moral purpose is...to present some uncomfortable truth about the world, about human nature, and about the necessities with which man is entangled”2 which, of course, embraces some of the preceding levels of interpretation. I believe that in his play Euripides reveals Pentheus’ inner conflict caused by his refusal to bend to social pressures, resulting in self-destruction. Pentheus fails to see that there are other ways to achieve human happiness and that his ways are not the only ones. His unsuccessful struggle is the result of his failure to form a totally integrated personality and of his refusal to work towards a well-balanced social structure in the face of the people’s demands.
Sophocles once said, “I draw men as they ought to be; Euripides draws them as they are.”3 Pentheus is no exception in his struggle against social pressures and the perils of kingship. He is a real person, preoccupied with his own vanity, striving to retain his supremacy. For him traditional values, reason, law and order should be the bases for personal integrity and the well being of his citizens. As a powerful monarch he commands an army, lives in a palace and has horses and slaves. According to one of his messengers, Pentheus’ impetuosity and dictatorial rule are notorious, “keenness of temper and excess of royal disposition” (670-671). Because now he faces strong opposition, he associates his rival cousin, the new god Dionysus, with “evil” (216, 512), the cult with a “disease” (223), and the women followers with “lechery” (223), “shameful deeds” (1062) and “unchastity” (354). But Pentheus is not going to bend to social pressures instigated by an effeminate deity whom women adore!
Women, according to Pentheus, should stay at home, look after their children, clean the house and weave. It is anathema, therefore, for a moralistic Pentheus to imagine that women are leaving their homes in preference for the wild orgies on Mount Cithaeron. Pentheus believes that because women have no power of their own and are easily influenced, he cannot accept their present actions:

“No, this exceeds all bounds,
if at the hands of women we are to suffer what we do!” (785-786)

Consequently he denies Dionysus for honouring women by freeing them from prisons and initiating their orgies. Their behaviour undermines the king’s authority. So, as a sign of his presumption of authority and supremacy he cuts off the long golden hair of the “stranger” (Dionysus in disguise), divesting him of his holy association with Dionysus. He also takes the thyrsus from his hands (495) in a symbolic gesture of defiance of the new religion. Pentheus is determined to subdue his enemy at all costs. Thebes has no place for a god of passion and intoxication.
Dionysus craves supremacy at Pentheus’ expense. In contrast to the king’s formality and restrictiveness, Dionysus promotes freedom, ecstasy, music and dance, elements which spell anarchy and a personal insult for Pentheus. This god encourages his disciples to seek “the pleasures of Aphrodite” (451-459) and makes his sacred religion sound universal, encompassing Lydia, Persia, Medea, Arabia and all of Asia (13-22). He has benefited mankind by giving man wine to forget his worries (280-283) and his worship is related to the miraculous. It is claimed that at his command milk, honey, water and wine are reported to flow out of the earth on his sacred Mount Cithaeron (141-143). By his power also, the vine around his mother Semele’s tomb flourishes instantly; an earthquake demolishes part of the royal palace, opening chains and barred doors to freedom for the imprisoned bacchants. The miracles are intended to show Dionysus’ divine powers. It is alleged that he also has the power to transform himself into diverse animals (918). The odds presented by Dionysus against Pentheus are great. How can a mortal king defy a god who performs miracles, disguises himself as a mortal “stranger”, sends women hysterically wild and is welcomed by the Thebans and the royal family?
Pentheus’ mother Agave with her two sisters and grand father Cadmus accept the new god and join in his worship, adding further insult to the king. Cadmus is thrilled by the thought of the splendour that will come to the royal family when his dead daughter Semele will turn out to be the mother of his grand son Dionysus:

“for since he is the child of my daughter’s womb
we must magnify him and make him
as important as we can.” (181-183)

Like Cadmus, the blind seer Tiresias tries to show Pentheus that the joy of living and the realm of ecstasy are as essential as the king’s rules and values:

“You see how you are pleased, when the multitude
throngs the palace doors,
and the city magnifies the name of Pentheus;
so Dionysus too, in my opinion delights in being honoured.” (319-321)

The blind man almost pleads for the king to change his attitude:

“...obey me Pentheus: do not be too confident that
sovereignty is what rules men;
nor, if you hold an opinion, but your judgement is sick,
take that opinion for good sense. Receive the god into this land
and pour offerings, and be a bacchant, and garland your head.” (310-313)

But Pentheus is drugged by his own pride. According to Tiresias, to refuse what Dionysus offers - wine, dance, ecstasy, joy, sleep and rest - is madness, “You are raving mad” (359). The limping old man assures Pentheus that the god expects honour from young and old (206-208), stresses Pentheus’ aggressiveness and prophesies the god’s inevitable future glory (270-274).
Everyone seems to be against Pentheus. He introduces himself as a conservative guardian of traditional values. The chorus, however, denounces him as an “unholy man” (613), exposing the city to divine retribution and urges the “swift hounds of frenzy” to destroy the blasphemer (977). In contrast, it praises Dionysus for letting people be one with nature (862-876). Even the servant who arrests Dionysus disguised as a Theban stranger feels ashamed of his act, “this beast [Dionysus] we found was gentle” (436).
When Pentheus succumbs to Dionysus’ urging and dresses up as a female bacchant to spy upon the bacchants, he loses his integrity and becomes deranged. He develops double vision. Dionysus appears to him like a bull with two horns (918-922). I feel that Pentheus’ desire to see the bacchants is less a type of voyeurism than a necessity for him to investigate for himself how the women devotees can live such a free and easy life, unrestricted by laws and traditional values. Dionysus convinces Pentheus by pampering him with the suggestion that by dressing up and thus confraternising with Dionysus and his worshippers, he has regained his sanity:

“your previous state of mind was not normal,
but now you have the one you need.” (947-948)

The king deplores the excesses of the new religion and he is only prepared to watch. But now he has gone too far and Dionysus sees his quarry “moving into the net...and to his death” (847-848). Mad Pentheus is utterly in the god’s hands, “On you [Dionysus] we now depend” (934). The hunter has become the beast to be torn to pieces.
Pentheus fails to accept the Dionysian aspect of life and is destroyed, bringing grief and despair to others. Dionysus has already punished the women of Thebes by madness (32-35) for refusing to acknowledge that Semele, Dionysus’ mother, was taken by Zeus and bore him a child. In other words, the women, including those of the royal family of Cadmus, have denied that Dionysus was the son of a god. Now Dionysus does not bring destruction and despair upon them personally but makes them destroy themselves. Agave murders her son unknowingly because she acts under the spell of delirium. Ruin comes to Cadmus and the rest of the royal house, “the god has ruined us, justly, but to excess” (1249). Agave’s triumph is a hollow victory, “for her he [Dionysus] brings tears as victory” (1147).
Is the king’s destruction of any benefit to the god? Dionysus is the spirit of joy and ecstasy and Pentheus represses his natural instincts of passion, emotion and the joy of living. Symbolically speaking, he commits suicide. Dionysus affirms that the divine forces are ruthless, gods are beyond good and evil and do not share our aspirations of mercy, “Long ago Zeus my father approved these things” (1349). The cold-hearted attitude of the gods is illustrated as Dionysus appears on the palace roof, high above all mortals, eager to depart, “why then delay over what is inevitable?” (1351). After the recognition of Pentheus’ murder, Cadmus and his wife Harmonia, Agave, the Lydian bacchants and the maddened women of Thebes go into exile. The city is deserted and Dionysus’ worship appears to cease. Thus Dionysus does not gain anything by the death of Pentheus. Only the dismembered body of the king is left.
The Bacchae is not about Dionysus and his cult but rather about the pressures a king or any human being faces from his society and his own family and how he responds to those pressures. In a way, therefore, it is the perennial struggle against self and the quest for self-knowledge. In the case of Pentheus we see his failure to grasp the need to let go of his one-sided claim for human happiness through his restrictive laws. Being a ruler the responsibilities become even greater. Changes and other people’s views should be investigated and not refused blindly. Pentheus also happens to be oblivious to the danger he puts himself in as he passionately embraces and sticks to his own traditional values.
For a wholesome and integrated life, equilibrium can only be achieved by the blending of the human and the divine within ourselves. Jesus expressed it well on two occasions, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s (Mark 12:17)”, and “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).” Pentheus, the mortal king, has refused to listen to the voice of the god within himself and the voice of the people who represent his other self.

* * * * *
NOTES
The quotations followed by their verse number are from the following text:
EURIPIDES, The Bacchae - translated with an Introduction and Commentary by Kirk G.S., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1979.
1. PHILLIPS D. E., The Human Element in Literature, Taylor Publishing Co.,
U. S. A., 1969, p. 138.
2. EURIPIDES, The Bacchae - translated with an Introduction and Commentary by Kirk G.S., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1979, pp. 10-11.
3. ROBINSON C. E., A History of Greece, Methuen & Co. Ltd, London, 1960, p. 168.

ESSAY COMPLETED ON 9.3.1983

JOE SALIBA

AUSTRALIAN MULTICULTURAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLJOGRAFIJA MULTIKULTURALI

Ghal dawk li jinteresaw ruhhom fil-kittieba Maltin barra minn Malta, ta’ min ikun jaf li f'Mejju ta' l-1992 l-Università ta' Deakin fil-Victoria harget ktieb jismu "A Bibliography Of Australian Multicultural Writers". Ir-ricerka ghal dil-pubblikazzjoni bdiet daqs 20 sena qabel u kienu hargu edizzjonijiet bikrija u qosra ta' dil-kollezzjoni. L-informazzjoni ghal din l-edizzjoni ngabret mill-akkademici Sneja Gunew, Lolo Houbein, Alexandra Karakostas-Seda u Jan Mahyuddin. Dawn jahdmu ferm ghall-progress tal-kittieba multikulturali fl-Awstralja. Tant hu hekk li fl-Università ta' Deakin infethet sezzjoni fejn jinzammu l-kotba etnici.
Il-kittieba multikulturali jitqiesu hekk fuq il-kriterji li dawn ikunu twieldu fl-Awstralja jew barra, li m’humiex Aborigini, u li jkunu gejjin minn razza fejn il-lingwa primarja m'hix l-Ingliz. Ghalhekk f'dal-ktieb insibu awturi bhall-poeta maghruf Awstraljan Henry Lawson li, ghalkemm hu twieled fi N.S.W., kellu missieru Norvegiz li biddel kunjomu minn Larsen.
Il-Bibljografija ta’ 291 pagna tigbor fiha aktar minn 900 awtur li bejniethom ippublikaw xoghol fi 38 lingwa. Il-kittieba li xi whud minnhom huma tat-tielet generazzjoni jiffurmaw madwar 100 grupp etniku.
Niehdu gost insemmu li numru sabih ta' awturi Maltin jidhru f'dal-ktieb. Dawn huma, f'ordni alfabetika, Joe Abela, Baldass Armato, Rigu Bovingdon, Manwel Cassar, Maurice Cauchi, Gorg Chetcuti, Joseph Chetcuti, Albert Marshall, Rosanne Musu, Manwel Nicholas-Borg, Joe Saliba u Barry York.
Dan it-taghrif kont hrigtu fil-gazzetta IL-MALTIJA ta’ Victoria f’Dicembru, 1993.

MIN HU JOE SALIBA?

KUMMENTI DWAR IX-XOGHOL LETTERARJU TAL-AWTUR
MINN AWTURI OHRAJN, RECENSURI, KRITICI LETTERARJI U HBIEBU.

DAK LI M’GHAMILX GHALIJA HADDIEHOR QED NAGHMLU JIENA B’DAWN IS-SILTIET.

KARMENU VASSALO, fid-dahla tal-ktieb Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha, 19 ta’ Lulju 1965.
Li qalb Joe Saliba hi qalb ta’ poeta mit-twelid ma nafx min jista' jichdu. Ma' fantasija mixghula u immiginazzjoni qawwija -- zewg qawwiet jew setghat intellettwali li wisq drabi jqanqlu u jqabbdu fih kotra ta' lehmiet..jithalltu u jitwahhdu ta’ sikwit hsibijiet u ideat gholja fuq ghadd ta' problemi..tal-hajja..Ghalih in-Naturu hija ktieb miftuh Ii fih eghgubijietha mhux talli jinqraw bla tbatija ta' xejn, imma talli jnisslu waqt il-qari ghaxqa kbira. F'hin wiehed, il-filosofija u l-psikologija jgelglu 'l hawn u 'l hinn fll-versi tieghu.

C. TESTA, Il-Berqa, 30.9.1966, rivista tal-ktieb Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha, 1966.
...gabra ta’ poeziji, wahda mill-gawhriet li jaghnu u jzejnu l-letteratura taghna.

JOE CAMILLERI, L-Orizzont, 5.10.1966, recensjoni ta’ Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha, 1966.
Fil-bicca l-kbira, il-hsieb huwa gholi u mfisser tajjeb. Il-muzika tinhass titferfer bejn vers u iehor li jdoqqu hlejju ghall-widna Maltija.

DOREEN MICALLEF, ittra tad-19 ta’ Mejju, 1967.
Nixtieq nizzikhajr minn qalbi ghall-kopja tal-ktieb li ghogbok tibghatli: “Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha”. Ma nistax inzid wisq ma’ dik il-kuruna ta’ tifhir ezatt u sincier li tak il-habib taghna Karmenu Vassallo..Fil-kitba tieghek, hadt pjacir insib il-hsieb gholi, u l-hsieb filosofiku, li bil-kelma mahsuba ’mma sinciera, anzi semplicI u ddoqq, jirnexxilek iddahhlu f’kull mohh li jaqrah. Prosit!

MANWEL CASSAR, fid-dahla ghall-ktieb Ferh, Biki u Poezija, 1967.
Din l-ghanja samma “Ferh, Biki u Poezija” tigbor mill-gdid f'sensiela wahda l-esperjenzi, t-twemmin u l-gherf tal-poeta zaghzugh ta’ qribi li huma mfissra fil-ghanjiet l-ohra taz-zewg kotba tieghu.

NIKOL BIANCARDI, kartolina tat-8 ta’ Awwissu, 1967.
Wasalli t-tieni ktieb tieghek (Ferh, Biki u Poezija). Int Poeta awteniku Modern -- m’hux harbiexi...

IL-PROFESSUR GUZÈ GALEA, kartolina 1967.
Nifrahlek ghal din il-bicca xoghol tieghek (Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha) li tixhed il-genju poetiku li ghandek.

DUN FRANS CAMILLERI, ittra tad-29 ta’ Awwissu, 1967.
Minn xi poeziji tieghek li jien kont qrajt, mill-ewwel gharaft u hassejt li f’qalbek u f’ruhek hemm tbaqbaq tassew il-poezija...Bil-ktieb gdid tieghek “Ferh, Biki u Poezija” inti sahhaht il-fehma tieghi. Fil-poeziji li tajtna hemm il-lehma, l-immaginazzjoni, il-qawwa u l-gmiel ta’ kliem haj u milqut. Imma, fuq kollox, il-poezija tieghek hija sinciera...Minn issa qieghed nilmah fik wiehed mill-ahjar poeti taghna - zghazagh u xjuh. U bil-poezija tieghek jien ghandi qalbi qawwija li l-Letteratura taghna sejra tistaghna mhux ftit fis-snin li gejjin.

IL-POLZ TAL-MOVIMENT QAWMIEN LETTERARJU, ghadd 1, p. 6., Lulju, 1967.
Joe Saliba jikteb poezija mqanqla, mexxejja, b’muzikalità kwazi spiritwali.

KARMENU VASSALLO, fil-Vatum Consortium, 1968.
Poeta zaghzugh emigrat li fih Malta u l-Ilsien Malti ghandhom tabilhaqq nicca ta’ mhabba u gieh.

MARIO AZZOPARDI, L-Orizzont, 11 ta’ Novembru, 1971.
Joe Saliba ... id-djamant fil-qasam letterarju Malti fl-Awstralja.

JUDITH RODRIGUEZ, poeta maghrufa Awstraljana, tikkummenta fuq xi poeziji bl-Ingliz, wara workshop maghha,1971.
Capable of quite a lot.

IL-PROFESSUR GUZÈ AQUILINA, ittra tat-12 ta’ Mejju, 1982.
Tikteb poezija tajba kif gharaftek fil-bidu meta dahhaltek fi Il-Muza Maltija.

KARMEN MIKALLEF-BUHAGAR, ittra 311, p. 251, Ghaziz Karmenu..., 1982.
Wasluli wkoll iz-zewg kopji tal-ktieb, Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha, ta’ Joe Saliba. Fraht narah imzejjen b’ismek, u qrajtu b’dehwa kbira. Nista’ nghid, ghax inhossu, li l-poezija tieghu ghandha benna li taghzilha minn dik ta’ ohrajn.

JOHN SCIBERRAS, ittra tal-21 t’Ottubru, 1982.
“’Ilma’ tieghek kien wasalli xi ftit xhur ilu. Qrajtu malajr ghaliex, kif taf daqsi, il-lum rari tara ktieb ta’ poeziji ta’ dik ix-xorta. Kulhadd irid jinheba wara s-simbolizmu u l-oskurità...ma nafx min ghadu jikteb versi attraenti u mirquma bhal tieghek. Joghgobni l-mod kif toqghod attent biex, kemm jista’ jkun, taghzel l-ahjar kelma li jkollok bzonn biex tfisser il-hsieb tieghek. Barra minn dan il-poeziji tieghek ghogbuni wkoll ghaliex, fil-bicca l-kbira taghhom, huma qosra u bla verbosità li tghajji.

RIGU BOVINGDON, ittra tat-2 ta’ Marzu, 1984.
Nizzik hajr ukoll tal-ktejjeb “Ilma” li kompla wettqek kif sirt nafek jiena l-ewwel darba li qrajt il-versi tieghek bosta snin ilu fl-ewwel zewg kotba li hrigt. Qisu holqa li tissokta - ghad fadal bosta x’johrog minnek!

CARMEL G. CAUCHI, ittra tal-4 ta’ Settembru, 1985.
Kelli cans naqra sew il-ktieb tieghek “ILMA” u kull poezija ghogbitni shIh. Xi whud fhimthom mill-ewwel, waqt li ohrajn offrewli naqra ta’ sfida biex nifhem il-hsieb profond...Innutajt ukoll li l-istil tieghek ivarja minn dak tradizzjonali...ghal dak izjed modern. Ir-rima ma tuzahiex regolarment, izda meta tuzaha tkun dejjem naturali u m’hi b’ebda mod imgebbda. Aktarx li ghandek dejjem xi tema filosofika, u s-simbolizmu jirrendi l-versi tieghek hajjin u friski. Ghandek ukoll ritmu mexxej li jaghmel il-versi poetici tieghek tassew pjacevoli.

CARMEL G. CAUCHI, fid-dedikazzjoni tal-ktieb ko-awturat tieghu HOLOQ, 17.6.1985.
Lil habibi, Joe Saliba, poeta samm u awtentiku.

RIGU BOVINGDON, fl-istudju ‘Maltese Literature in Australia’ p. 84 WRITING IN MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA 1984: AN OVERVIEW Australia Council for the Literature Board, 1985.
His latest publication ‘Ilma’ (Water) displays a mellowed attitude to life’s outlook with undertones that still betray his youth. This recent collection of his is sure evidence of how the new environment has influenced his thoughts. The years spent in Australia, and the chronological gap between his last publication in 1967 and this one, are evidenced throughout this collection in his attitude to the world around him, although he staunchly persists, with a strong bond, to his masters’ traditional verse.

CARMEL G. CAUCHI, ittra tal-4 ta’ Frar, 1986.
Jiena cert li ma kienx ta’ b’xejn li sibt l-ammirazzjoni ta’ K. Vassallo, Manwel Cassar u l-kittieba l-ohra li fissru hsiebhom favur il-poezija tieghek.

CARMEL G. CAUCHI, ittra tad-19 ta’ April, 1986.
Il-poeziji tieghek tista’ tghid li huma kwiekeb ta’ gmiel li ghalkemm ma jiddux kollha bl-istess qawwa madankollu jiddu lkoll...Bejn l-ewwel zewg kotba tieghek u l-ahhar wiehed (“ILMA”) jien nara xi ftit tal-kuntrast. F’ILMA tinhass ir-ragel iktar matur u l-lingwagg huwa iktar qawwi u effettiv. F’dan il-ktieb tbiddel ukoll l-istil. Ir-rima naqset hafna u l-versi hielsa zdiedu. Napprezza fuq kollox element importanti hafna - dak li ggieghel il-qarrej igarrab it-tqanqiliet tieghek, jew ghall-inqas jifhem xi tkun hassejt int, meta ktibt il-poezija...Naghlaq billi nifrahlek b’mod specjali ghall-poezija “Ferh, Biki u Poezija”, li hija tajba hafna mhux biss f’dik li hi teknika, u ghall-versi mhallta li fiha, izda wkoll ghall-hsibijiet profondi li thaddan.

ALBERT AGIUS, The Times Saturday, Australian Newsletter, 16.5.1987, recensjoni tal-antologija ko-awturata Irjieh.
Joe Saliba strikes a serious note in his verses. His freshness and originality are healthy because he is so wholesome in his entire treatment.

DINA DOUNIS, fir-rapport ta’ seminar ‘Successful Readings’ p. 40, RAINBOW RISING, Victorian Association of Multicultural Writers, Summer/August Issue 1988.
Joe Saliba rendered some very powerful poems, characterised by complex imagery, brilliant in texture and intensity, and skilful use of language. These qualities were particularly evident in his excellent work, ‘The Serpent’.

RIGU BOVINGDON, ittra tat-28 ta’ Frar, 1989.
So deeply have your mellifluous phrases & choice of imagery (“Lamentations”) penetrated into my inner self, that I felt the need to answer you in English which, although it is my native tongue co-existing with my other native language Maltese, my letter will give your children the opportunity, if they are so inclined, to learn at first hand how intensely your artform is appreciated...This latest contribution of yours is no less worthy of praise than its three Maltese precursors of original verse. You have proved to be a master of the Muse in a tongue which semantically and structurally is so diverse from our semitico-romance thinking.

DR BARRY YORK, ittra tat-22 ta’ Settembru, 1989.
I read your “Lamentations” from cover to cover, over a period of time, and I particularly appreciated “Ceres returning from the Field”. I thought it was simple and concise at one level, but most powerfully crafted...There were a couple of others that impressed me with their strong imagery, particularly “No Through Road” and “Horns and Hornets” - vivid, indeed...A final favourite, for me, was “Suburban Blues”. I like the way in which the rhythmic flow of words conveys the meaning, or sense, of the poem as much as the words themselves.

IL-PROFESSUR GUZÈ AQUILINA, ittra tal-11 ta’ Dicembru, 1989.
“Lamentations of a Happy Man”... authentic poetry which I enjoyed reading.

JOE VASSALLO, ittra tal-20 ta’ Frar, 1989.
I was very pleasantly surprised to receive your booklet of English poems (LAMENTATIONS OF A HAPPY MAN)...I read it right through and was fascinated by your use of imagery. I have found only delight reading through your poems.

RIGU BOVINGDON, ittra tal-15 ta’ Mejju, 1990.
Ghadni kemm kont qed nimxi id f’id mieghek fil-kotba “Ilma” u “Lamentations...”. Joe, inti poeta mhux tal-waqt, mhux ta’ l-impressjoni, mhux tad-diskrizzjoni. Inti poeta fit-tifsira shiha tal-kelma u tal-kuncett assolut.

MANOEL DE VILHENA CULTURAL AWARD WINNERS 1995, fuq il-programm dwar ir-rebbieha.
One of the most important Maltese poetic voices in Australia. Joe’s poetry is an antiphony of song that elevates both the spirit and the beauty of the Maltese language. Joe’s work is widely published and his contribution to Maltese literature has been critically acclaimed both in Australia and in Malta.

ACHILLE MIZZI, ittra tat-8 ta’ Settembru, 1997.
Ma kellix sabar qabel qrajtu (“ALWETTIERA”) kollu minn qoxra sa qoxra u sibt iz-zmien biex niktiblek dawn il-kelmtejn t’apprezzament...Fil-fehma tieghi inti fost l-ahjar esponenti tal-poezija bil-Malti, mhux biss dawk li joqoghdu l-Awstralja izda anke dawk t’hawn Malta. Jidher li l-poezija ghalik mhix semplici burdata taz-zghozija izda impenn qawwi mnissel minn tqanqil gewwieni...Jidher li l-Malti tieghek ghadu sabih u mhux imtiefes, daqslikieku m’ghaddejtx dawk is-snin kollha boghod minn xtutna...Il-Malti tieghek ghadu safi daqslikieku ghadek fostna, biex ma nghidx ahjar minn ta’ bosta li qeghdin jiktbu hawn Malta. L-isem stess ta’ l-antologija huwa xhieda ta’ dan li qed nghid. L-alwettiera tfakkarni f’missieri li kien ukoll kaccatur u nassab u hija simbolu sabih tal-poezija bhala mezz tat-trasportazzjoni li ssehh waqt il-mument ispirat...Is-suggetti li tikteb dwarhom m’humiex tal-wicc il-wicc u taghraf tinzel ghal dak li huwa fundamentali u profond fil-hajja. Taghmel uzu tajjeb mis-sorpriza finali jew dik li bl-Ingliz jghidulha ‘twist’...Madankollu tista’ tghid li l-ghodda letterarja taf thaddimha ta’ mghallem...ukoll fejn tidhol l-ironija, il-paradoss ecc ecc...Kollox ma’ kollox il-poezija tieghek mhix nieqsa lanqas minn laqtiet b’referenza socjali li jirriflettu mhux biss ir-realtà Maltija izda wkoll dik Awstraljana...anzi nazzarda nghid ir-realtà Maltija kif mifhuma u interpretata minn ghajnejn Awstraljani. Ghaldaqshekk biss il-poezija tieghek fiha wkoll siwi bhala dokument ta’ tigrib spiritwali.

NAZZARENU ZERAFA, ittra tal-21 ta’ Mejju 1997.
Apprezzajt hafna fil-poezija tieghek (ALWETTIERA), fost affarijiet ohra, il-fidi soda u qawwija li ghandek f’Alla bhala l-kreatur suprem tan-natura u l-univers, il-filosofija tieghek tal-hajja bil-problemi u l-ferh li ggib maghha, l-gharfien wiesa’ li ghandek tal-Bibbja, l-imhabba u l-onesta fil-hajja familjari, l-assimilazzjoni tal-antik mal-modern tal-karattru Malti ma’ dak Awstraljan, tan-normal accettat mal-kuntrarju, u ta’ dak li joghgob ma’ dak li jixxokkja.

CARMEL G. CAUCHI, ittra tal-14 ta’ Gunju, 1997.
Il-poeziji tieghek (“ALWETTIERA”) jolqtuni hafna kemm ghall-hsibijiet profondi kif ukoll ghall-ghazla tal-kelma kemm hu possibbli Maltija safja. Jolqtuni r-riferenzi ghall-Bibbja...u s-sentiment religjuz...Helwin hafna wkoll huma l-poeziji qosra bi 3 versi fuq stil hajku. Nammira hafna fihom il-hsieb li jasal b’qawwa minkejja l-koncizjoni tal-kliem...Kollox ma’ kollox, Joe, ghandek ktieb tajjeb li jkompli jikkonfermak bhala poeta sod u samm.

GUZÈ CHETCUTI, ittra tal-24 ta’ Lulju, 1997.
Bro. Michael gabli l-lum il-ktieb tieghek tal-poezija Alwettiera, u digà sibt ic-cans naqra whud mill-poeziji li fih. Minn dak li qrajt ghandek poeziji li jisthoqqilhom tabilhaqq tifhir. Uhud minnhom fihom twist originali li ghogbitni.

ALBERT MARSHALL, ittra tat-2 ta’ Gunju, 1997.
Ghogobni l-istil frisk u mexxej kif ukoll l-istilistika informali, li kif taf, hija tipika tal-poezija tieghi miktuba f’dawn l-ahhar snin.

FREDU CACHIA, The Maltese Herald, Lulju 1997.
Din l-antologija gdida tinkludi xoghol mill-aktar fin, kemm fil-kliem kif ukoll fil-hsieb...Joe jolqot lid-dinja minn barra u minn gewwa f’kull ma fiha...”ALWETTIERA” hija antologija mexxejja, b’ritmu mghaggel, minghajr tlaqliq u bi stil li jpaxxi l-widna b’muzika sabiha li twassal fil-boghod.

IL-PROFESSUR OLIVER FRIGGIERI, ittra tat-30 ta’ Mejju, 1997.
Qrajt kwazi l-poeziji kollha (ALWETTIERA) u ghogbuni tassew. Laqtitni l-ghazla tal-kelma daqskemm ix-xehta lirika, sentimentali li turi f’bosta waqtiet.

NORBERT ELLUL-VINCENTI, The Times, 5 ta’ Awwissu 1997, recensjoni tal-Ktieb Alwettiera.
A genuine poetic voice from Australia is that of Joe Saliba...He is the poet with a musical ear, saying even well-known things in tripping feet and syllables. He has the observant eye, quickly noting every day life as it is lived, and making connections, drawing parellisms, allowing his inspiration to kindle, to flame and then, if it be the case, to burst into flame.

MONS. L. CACHIA, recensjoni tal-ktieb Alwettiera, 1997.
...poeziji tassew qawwija u koncentrati ta’ dan il-poeta tajjeb...kittieb li jixraqlu bid-dritt kollu l-isem ta’ poeta...Saliba ghandu hakma tajba tat-teknika tal-vers, kemm meta jikteb versi fuq ritmu tradizzjonali, li huma ftit u tajbin hafna, kemm meta jikteb b’mod aktar hieles. Ghandu wkoll grazzja specjali ghall-epigrammi li f’hafna minnhom jidher ukoll umorizmu li ghandu joghgob lill-qarrejja.

IL-PROFESSUR OLIVER FRIGGIERI, L-ISTORJA TAL-POEZIJA MALTIJA - IT-TIENI NOFS TAS-SEKLU GHOXRIN, 2001,
In-nostalgija ta’ l-emigrant, is-sens taz-zmien li jghaddi u jbiddel, il-paradossalità ta’ l-imhabba huma temi li Joe Saliba (t. 1941) jittrattahom b’bilanc bejn l-emozzjoni u r-raguni. Il-lingwagg tipiku tieghu huwa mnissel mit-tradizzjoni romantika Maltija li hu jgeddu u jhaddmu ghal ghanijiet personali.

PATRICK SAMMUT, recensjoni ta’ OCEGHANJA, ko-awturat, 2001.
Dawk ta’ Joe Saliba huma versi sinciera hergin mill-qalb. Ghandhom mis-safa tat-tfulija u mill-profondità ta’ l-univers li jdawwarna, mill-kobor u mis-seher tad-dezert Awstraljan, mill-kwotidjanità tal-waqtiet ta’ kuljum.

RIGU BOVINGDON, ittra tas-7 ta’ Settembru 2002, kummenti dwar is-sezzjoni tal-awtur f’OCEGHANJA.
...il-ghanja tieghek hi marsusa bis-sustanza ta’ qofol l-ezistenza u kliemek mirqum, imsawwar f’opra estetika li toghgob, tnissel il-pjacir, tirrilassak. M’hix tqila fuq il-widna. M’hemmx tqanzih. M’hemmx stunar. Il-kliem li taghzel jolqot, waqt li jinserixxi ruhu bhall-frak gewwa muzajk. Triqtek hi watja; ma tghajjikx. Il-piz iggorru int flok il-qarrej. Ghax it-tahbila tithalla suggestjoni. Isibha min irid u min tolqtu. Ir-rabta bejn il-kelma, ambjentazzjoni, stoticità, trobbija, injezzjonijiet ghorieb ghad-dinja Maltija fik (li ilek taf minn tfulitek), fdalijiet arkajci minghajr ma jzarzru, ilwien minn prizma friska u aktar moderna, wesghat bla tarf li ma jikklaxxjawx ma’ l-accettazzjoni tal-konfini tal-pajjiz minuskoli li gejt minnu, kliem baziku u kliem l-art li go Malta ta’ llum qieghed kulma jmur jintesa joqghod fit-tifsila bla diffikultà. Madankollu, wara tant snin gewwa din l-art, ma naqsitx il-klima t’hawn thalli fik il-ghelma ta’ pajjiz mill-aktar antik u li jitlob ir-rispett partikolari tieghu f’Wandjina.

STEPHEN CACHIA, imejl 20.8.2003.
Nghidlek minghajr tlaqlieq li l-poezija tieghek lili mhux biss toghgobni, imma ispiratni wkoll, u minbarra dan inqisek wiehed mill-aqwa kittieba kontemporanji taghna.

IL-MALTIN F'KITBIET AWSTRALJANI

IL-MALTIN F’KITBIET AWSTRALJANI

Waqt il-qari tieghi ta' xoghlijiet ta' awturi Awstraljani sibt xi kitbiet interessanti fejn jissemmew Malta u l-Maltin. Din kienet sorpriza li ferrhitni. Hawnekk ma nistax ingib il-poeziji shah minhabba l-Copyright, u ghalhekk ikolli nikkwota biss xi siltiet 'l hemm u 'l hawn.

Dawn li gejjin huma xi versi mill-poezija 'Playing With My Coronet' ta' Randolph Stow fl-antologija POETS AUSTRALIA CATALOGUE migbura minn Susan Jeffrey (Australian International Press & Publications Pty Ltd, 1978. p. 98). Stow twieled fil-Western Australia fl-1935 u kien ghal xi zmien lettur fl-Ingilterra, fil-Kanada u fid-Denimarka. Huwa maghruf ukoll bhala kittieb ta' rumanzi, l-aktar wiehed famuz tieghu TO THE ISLANDS (1958). Ninnotaw li f'dil-poezija l-poeta Randolph Stow jirreferi ghalih innifsu bhala "Mikiel tal-Awstralja". Ippruvajt infittex l-origini u aktar dettalji ta' dil-poezija imma ma rnexxilix. Mill-kontenut tal-versi u n-noti jidher li l-poeta kien qatta' xi zmien Malta ma' zewg bdiewa, u kiteb dil-poezija wara li kien ircieva ittra minghand il-mara tal-bidwi fejn qaltlu li hi u r-ragel taghha kienu hadu pjacir meta hu kien maghhom fir-razzett.

...I write for you, Vittur, though you won't hear
and Carmelo hasn't ever known my language,
thinking of lamplit meals, when Pastard came
with a sailor's yarn, or to wrestle Guzepp Haddiem;
and of Xidi, with his reliably non-news;
and of MALTA TIBKI LILL-PAPA on your door.
Remembering wine-dark dreams in the midday shade
under the weird green asps of the harrub,
...And the taste of capers fresh from crannied walls...
The Turks of time have scarred our ramparts now,
but pasts endure. Let us, for us, endure,
stubborn as Malta, stubborn as Mnajdra
-- stubborn, Maltin, as you.
Randolph Stow
(Mikiel tal-Awstralja)

Poezija ohra li sibt hi ta' Frank Kellaway bl-isem 'Eros' (OVERLAND, Nu. 100, Melbourne, Settembru 1985, p. 80). Fit-tmeninijiet kelli x-xorti niltaqa' ma' Kellaway meta attendejt Poetry Workshop imtella' minn poetessa Awstraljana Judith Rodriguez u smajtu jaqra xi versi tieghu. F'dil-poezija l-poeta jiftakar meta kien Malta fl-ahhar gwerra. Jidher li kien bahri. Kien jinzel Malta u jmur il-Belt Valletta fi Strada Stretta bhal hafna rgiel ohra tas-servizz. Kien jaf wahda min-nisa t'hemm u kienet hi l-ispirazzjoni ta' dal-versi tieghu. Baqa' jiftakarha. Naghzel xi ftit versi mill-poezija ta' Kellaway.

When mines were popping Eros kept me sane...
A sonnet never could contain this girl,
Julie, who worked in Malta's hungry gut
who sang and pranced like an impulsive gale...
The price arranged she'd give a man her key,
leave him and earn more drinks, bubble and leap,
grabbing another man to whirl and dance...
She was my girl when I got in from sea...
among bombed buildings, a crumbling rubble-heap
in that town of shadows, my permanence.

Giet f'idejja poezija ohra li ssemmi l-Maltin, did-darba l-Maltin ta' Sydney. Fil-ktieb tieghu ta' poeziji THE WAY IT IS (Darling Downs Institute Press, Toowoomba, 1984, p. 102) il-poeta Michael Sharkey ghandu wahda bl-isem ta' 'Merrylands', post fejn hemm hafna Maltin. Il-poeta, waqt li jiddeskrivi l-hajja mghaggla t'hemmhekk, il-hwienet u l-hajja socjali, josserva:

Merrylands has got the biggest Big Mac in the West;
the Chicken Shacks along the main road,
Pizza Hut, the Coolibah; Enrico's eats,
best tucker in West Sydney.
Merrylands has got the biggest homes you ever seen,
Georgie, he's my broth-in-law,
knows everyone, the Muscats,
Camilleris, and the Sammuts, and Spiteris, everyone.

Ghalkemm ftit huma l-ezempji ta' din ix-xorta ta' kitba fuqna l-Maltin, qed nindunaw, jekk naqraw dak li nkiteb minn awturi Awstraljani, li ghallanqas kultant tidher xi haga. Ahjar ftit milli xejn.

MANWEL CASSAR

MANWEL CASSAR twieled l-Imsida fit-3.1.1933. Fl-1955 izzewweg lil Josephine Spiteri (ghandhom hamest itfal) u fl-istess sena emigraw ghal Melbourne, l-Awstralja. Hadem bhala ghalliem u fic-Civil. Fl-1959 waqqaf L-Ghaqda tal-Letteratura tal-Maltin fl-Awstralja li issa ma tiffunzjonax. Kien President tal-Maltese Literature Group -- Grupp Letteratura Maltija. Kittieb stabbilit, poeta, prozatur u pittur li jesebixxi spiss. Imsieheb f’bosta ghaqdiet letterarji f’Malta u fl-Awstralja, fosthom l-Akkademja tal-Malti. Xoghlijietu nstemghu fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir u dehru f’ghadd kbir ta’ gazzetti, gurnali u antologiji. Jikteb bil-Malti u bl-Ingliz. Kwalifikat bid-Diploma, bil-B.A. u bil-Postgraduate Diploma fl-arti u issa qed jistudja ghall-M.A. fil-letteratura u fl-arti Maltin-Awstraljani. Din il-poezija tirrifeletti, fost hwejjeg ohra, sfond multikulturali fejn jiddomina s-sens storiku Awstraljan.

FIL-KAZIN TAR-RETURNED SERVICES LEAGUE, EAST BENTLEIGH

Ma jixjihux kif ahna
li bqajna hawnhekk nixjiehu.
Ahna lhaqna s-sittin,
ahna lhaqna s-sebghin,
... imm’ahna ma xjahniex,
ahna nizfnu mal-muzika
Spanish Eyes,
Down By The River Side,
You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine
you make me happy
when skies are gray
......
Ilbiesna joqoghdilna,
l-antaccjoli jlellxulna,
sema Texan u smewwiet ohra jitbissmulna,
il-qargha tidhebilna taht il-globu elettriku,
iz-zarbun ibblakkat ileqqilna,
induru cippitatu fuq ponot subghajn saqajna
bhall-qawsalla t’isem il-banda ddoqqilna,
imdendla zaqqna ta]t ic-cinturin.

Huma ma jixjihux -- kif jistghu?

Fit-truncieri tal-qobra middewhom
fl-ahjar ta’ hajjithom,
xagharhom ceda ghall-haxix selvagg,
lahamhom ga miksi bit-trab tat-taqbid
neza’, thallat ma’ l-iehor,
fil-kanali sotterranji ta’ mnifsejhom imekkek igerrem id-dud,
il-hofor t’ghajnejhom jiddemmghu
bix-xita li tnixxi,
ma tistenniex li l-Mewt
tehtieg tistudja l-binja
tal-ghadam uman
jew qieghda tghasses process it-tmermir?

Huma ma jixjihux -- kif jistghu
la l-haj jixjieh?

... Izda lanqas ma xjahna
ahna li nizfnu kull zifna,
ukoll tax-xjuhija,
ghajnejna Awstraljani, Spanjoli, Maltin... ileqqulna,
f’xatt ix-xmara taz-zmien ninhabbu,
ix-xemx thobbna minn smewwiet cari
u l-mahbuba xxemmixna minn smewwiet grizi
fil-pajjiz ixxurtjat.

VERSI GHAC-CENSURA

VERSI GHAC-CENSURA

Dawn il-versi nixtieq li jkunu xhieda ta’ xi nhoss, x’nahseb, x’nemmen u tigribi ghal nofs seklu fl-Awstralja, ’il boghod minn Malta, b’religjon gdida li habbejt u haddant f’zghoziti meta kelli ghoxrin sena, wara li nqtajt u twarrabt mill-qadima ta’ tfuliti.

MANIFEST TA’ TWEMMINI

Habib, tghoddnix b’Kattolku ghax m’ghadnix.
Fil-kalendarju ta’ kuljum m’ghandix
festi ta’ ‘qaddisin’. It-talb mitruh
ghal dawk li mietu, billi vojt, maqtugh
minn dmirijieti. Nitlob ghall-hajjin.
M’hemmx x’taghzel bejn il-bhejjem u l-bnedmin.
Kohelet qal, il-mejjet ma jaf b’xejn;
il-mejjet mejjet, bla widnejn u ghajnejn;
kelb haj ahjar minn iljun mejjet smat.
U kollox, kollox, frugha tal-frughat!
M’hemmx ‘qaddisin’ ghal talbkom. Lill-mejtin
tweghdulhom fis-smewwiet il-premju bnin
flok qiegh l-infern, il-qabar, fejn kulhadd
ghandu jispicca -- dan huwa l-kuntratt.
Pasprulek li xi angli rribellaw
kontra Alla u saru xjaten jittantaw
lill-bniedem. Ahna x-xjaten, l-ghadu haj
tas-sewwa, ahna s-sriep li gibna l-gwaj
tad-dnub u l-mewt, l-ugigh, is-sahta u l-mard.
Se jkollna f’din id-dinja l-genna fl-art
meta Gesù jkun fostna l-Kmand, sultan
tas-slaten f’hajja eterna ta’ serhan
mill-gwerer u min-niket, l-ghakx u d-dmugh,
fejn mieghu jiggvernaw dawk li jhobbuh,
u l-hlas ghall-imwarrbin id-dlam dejjiem
tal-mewt fil-qabar, bla mistrieh, bla sliem.
M’ghadnix tal-Mara u tal-Bhima lsir.
Dawn tmiemhom wasal u se jkun bil-kbir!
Mela, minn bejn is-seba’ gholjiet, habib,
ahrab qabel il-hruq, l-ghawg u t-tigrib!
Twemmini safi bla tingis pagan.
Slittu mill-Bibbja, mhux mill-Vatikan!

ENCIKLIKA BLA BOLOL

Nahseb li ma smajtux
bl-esperimenti
ta’ sperma muzikali
mal-hajt tal-garigor
fuq xebba illi ommha
kienet tmur tittallab ghal bintha l-ohra
li taparsi riditha
tmurhielha soru.

Lanqas nahseb ma smajtu
bil-hwat
ghall-hasil
tal-hwejjeg
fuq il-bjut ta’ Vincenti Buildings
Triq l-Ifran fil-hamsinijiet
fejn kien jitla’ z-zebbiegh mizzewweg
jahsel
xi zewg sefturi
zghar daqs bintu.

Imma fuq dan li tahsbu:
fid-demm ta’ Dun Gorg Preca
li zamm it-tabib tieghu ghall-fidili
bhala relikwa.

Lil Kristu,
minflok zammejtuh haj fil-qiegh ta’ qalbkom,
qajjimtu x-xbieha tieghu bic-cuqlajti,
ksejtuha bil-vernic u fuq spallejkom
mat-toroq dortu biha
bhal ghogol tad-deheb fin.

Daz-zmien m’ghadhomx jinbnew bazilki bl-indulgenzi
u bwiet il-qassisin m’ghadhomx jittaqqlu
daqs qabel bil-quddies ghall-erwieh mejta
biex ma jinxtwewx fit-tul fil-purgatorju.

Dil-genna kollha ma niflahx ghaliha!

IC-CELEBAT

Qassis modern b’kullar ftit issikkat
xhin irrikkmanda d-dmir tac-celebat
imdejjaq hassu bih u qisu fgat.

RELIKWI

Ma nazzardax nibni l-futur fuq holma
li fit-thewdin tal-mohh webbluni biha.

Hemm min jemmen bir-ruh li tigi taghha
meta fl-infern titbaskat
jew fil-genna
xi darba tmur tithenna.

Ohrajn hsiebhom fis-shab...
fil-qaddisin jitbahhru
bil-mewg ta’ talb fidil jinbaram lejhom
xhin dawk ta’ fuq
b’xita ta’ grazzji
mad-devoti taghhom jerhu jdejhom.

Hemm dawk li jbusu l-brieret
mill-Gharb tal-Gzira Ghawdxija.
Ohrajn li ghal dnubiethom
jehel denb Lucifru
u jghidu m’ghandhomx tort
ghax dak hu l-htija
ta’ kull nuqqas f’hajjithom
u ta’ kull ghelt f’did-dinja
bil-hazen hekk mimlija.

Nisimghu x’jahsbu n-nies sabiex nitghallmu
ghax minn dan l-gherf dejjem niehdu xi haga
u m’hemm xejn mohli,
imma sikwit,
billi l-fehmiet jinbidlu,
jew nemmnu fl-ghama,
jew mghammdin ghall-ahhar,
bla hsieb ta’ xejn insibu lil twemminna
li fuqu mxejna u li fih intlifna
qed jixwi lilu nnifsu fiz-zejt moqli.

Ma nazzardax nibni l-gharix
fuq art taflija.

PROFANITÀ

Tghid sirna aghar maz-zmien?...B’diqa ghal missierhom,
Eli l-Qassis il-Kbir, dardru d-dmir taghhom
iz-zewg subien meta fit-Tabernaklu
meddew lin-nisa, raqdu u zienu maghhom.

Il-Mara fuq il-Bhima ggieghlek tirkeb
warajha u kif l-Unjoni Ewropea
tqassam lill-imsehbin, lilek tbamballek
spiritwalment il-mard tal-gonorea.

Kanonku f’nofs il-kor jintona s-salmi,
joffri l-inbid u l-ostja fuq l-artal,
minn fuq il-pulptu jishaq fuq is-safa,
imbaghad fis-sagristija jmiss ’it-tfal.

Mhux talli flok tezor sibt il-flus foloz
meta l-ghalqa qallibt u bdejt inqejjes,
anzi xammejt jien stess l-ipokresija:
m’hemmx x’taghzel bejn il-briedel u xi knejjes.

L-EWWEL GEBLA

O x’qed jaraw ghajnejja!
Fiex gejna?! Fejn sejrin?!
Tlifna kull direzzjoni
bhal fkieren maqlubin.

Bandist li jhobb inemmes
jiftah malajr hanut
hdejn skola sekondarja
ghat-tfal subien migbud.

Ragel xwejjah tal-qniepen
jiggerra fuq il-bjut
tal-knejjes mnejn it-tifel
jahrablu, jaqa’ u jmut.

Ministri tal-pulitka,
irjus t’ghaqdiet u qrati;
sa gewwa l-presbiterji
b’dan-nies l-irkejjen fgati.

Qassis mghawweg bhall-virga
joqtol ghall-purità
li ghandna lkoll inzommu,
’mma f’hajtu rarità.

U b’ghajb ghal dinu u dmiru
jiehu guvnott id-dar
u juri bi hzunitu
kemm hu bniedem mill-aghar.

Kien zmien meta s-suttani
hsibtuhom jghaxxqu t-triq;
ghosfru, ’mma dell ftit minnhom
baqa’ ghas-suttar u l-bzieq.

Mill-Kurja jmorru jqerru
ghand Borgia l-Bugarrun,
u min jistenna l-barka
minn ghandhom jahbi l-qrun.

Tal-pulptu, tal-pastizzi,
u xi mhallfin tal-mazza,
surmastrijiet u ohra
ta’ kull livell u razza.

O x’qed jaraw ghajnejja!
Fiex gejna?! Fejn sejrin?!
Tlifna kull direzzjoni
bhal fkieren maqlubin.

INVOKAZZJONI

It-tfal fit-triq dejqa dejquha
iwerzqu fil-loghob bil-ballun
quddiem il-bieb taghha u jahasra
imisshom jaghtuha ragun.

L-irqad hu kalvarju ghaliha
bl-istorbju u l-ghajat tal-girien
f’xi pârti kultant meta ’l-muzka
thoss thezzez sas-sebh lis-sisien.

’Mma l-aktar li tgerger, miskina,
ghax tahdem billejl, u binhar
tistrieh mix-xoghol iebes ta’ qahba
li sservi l-klijenti fid-dar.

Qassis qalli tajjeb: kull bniedem
li jaqla’ l-ghajxien ghandu l-jedd.
Tassew! Gharkopptejh jew bilwieqfa,
bilqieghda! U din xhin timtedd!

HADD MHU MA TIEGHU

Illum fiz-zfin tat-tigijiet
hadd mhu ma’ tieghu
hlief Fonzu l-ballarin
jizfen ma’ siehbu
Wigi tat-tamborlin.
’Mma f’nofshom jigru t-tfal
ghax tieg bla tfal bhal zwieg minghajr ulied.

Nifirhu bit-tfal zghar u kif narawhom
qed jikbru
jigi l-hsieb: kemm hi qasira
hajjithom u hajjitna!
Mur ghidlu
lil Pietru tac-Caqquf,
buznannuwi,
li kien fuq skuna ma’ xi hbieb
isalpa
lejn Monte Carlo
biex jilghabhom hemmhekk,
bit-tfal li gew warajh.

Imma lili
Alla halaqni cuc.
Id-dnub li writt ghalija hu dan:
uliedna aktar makakki
minn dan ix-xih ta’ qrib is-sebghin sena.
Jghadduh
minn ghajn il-labra
u bl-ingassi jdawwruh.

Ix-xjuh jghidulna dari mhux bhal zmienna.
Illum m’ghandnix rispett.
Insew l-ghonienel
kemm satru tahthom gwief ta’ demm barrani
li habblilhom giehhom.
Ghall-antenati karfa z-zghazagh taghna
ghax jizzewgu darbtejn; huma li baqghu
imhabba l-knisja, x’jghidu n-nies, u t-tfal.

ULURU

Jigu l-kbarat minn Malta u jparprulna
b’hafna paroli li se jwettqu kollox,
b’weghdi ta’ gid li ftit li xejn jissarrfu
fostna l-imsiefra, imma b’liema hegga
jiddikkjaraw xortina bla ma jfakkru
li dak li ghandna hdimna ghalih, mhux huma
tawhulna shun fuq platt. Gew ghall-kirjanza
u jibqghu jigu sakemm ahna nqumu
minn dan il-hmar il-lejl li qed johnoqna
bl-inhiq giddieb li ghadhom ihobbuna.

Ejjew nifirhu b’rixna ghax jekk innizzlu
l-ghodda li qbadna u nhalluha f’rokna,
nitilfu s-sehem li tajna s’issa: xogholna,
il-kitba, il-kanzunetti, l-ghana taghna,
ilsienna, ir-radju u l-palk. Inbierku
lil dawk tal-bidu fl-oqsma kollha mxierka
m’ohrajn l’ ghadhom jithabtu biex bejnietna
nibqghu maghquda ghall-ahjar. Inzommu
bis-sahha taghna u minghajr ebda rtokk
l-identità li bnejna fuq Ayers Rock.

Nota: Uluru jew Ayers Rock huwa monolit kolossali
f’nofs l-Awstralja, b’dawra ta’ 5 mili, 1000 pied gholi,
u mil u nofs midfun taht l-art. Dan il-post bil-leggendi
u t-tpingijiet antiki tieghu huwa sagru u sinifikanti
hafna ghall-Indigni Awstraljani.

BHALL-HAXIXA TAS-SAQQIJIET

Il-mingel Tork li ried jaghmilna trietaq,
l-iljun Ingliz li skitna taht gerzumtu,
il-pett Nazist li xtaq jghattanna b’rifsu,
u l-imperjalisti
illi ghalihom fettahna
l-haxixa tas-saqqijiet
biex jorqdu fuqna komdi u bla strapazz,
fejn huma llum?
Taru mar-rih jew tkissru jew iddghajfu.
U intom ghadkom hemm,
izda’issa
bhal saba’ tafli
ta’ sieq l-Unjoni Ewropea.

FESTIN

Inhabbru l-mewt
ghal dawk li jisthoqqilhom
u jmisshom jisthu.

Johrog il-bandu biex fil-pjazza jqabbdu
taht kaldarun daqsiex hgejjeg kontinwi
u jitfghu fl-ilma jbaqbaq
lill-viljakki
li jsaltnu ma’ saqajna
jinsultawna
bl-ghemejjel koroh u d-dnubiet
imwettqa
bla sens ta’ ndiema.

Ma’ tmiem il-bandu l-baned b’ritmu mqabbez
idoqqu l-innijiet dwar dil-kefrija
li saret bicca wahda minn hajjithom.

Mal-hoss tat-tamborlin jinstema’ l-biki
ta’ dawk imwaddba fl-ilma li stenniehom.

Is-sindku fl-gholi
jikkalkula l-krizi
ta’ din l-inkwizizzjoni
u kemm nies gew ghal dal-festin ta’ dwejjaq.

OASI WAQT IL-BTALA

Kemm qieghed tajjeb
hawn
gewwa l-Awstralja.

Madankollu
niftakar
waqt il-btala
fdewni xi ftit
il-kxif
tal-monument-tifkira
ta’ Karmenu Vassallo
gewwa s-Siggiewi,
il-Katakombi
ta’ San Pawl ir-Rabat,
Marsaxlokk
u l-Barrakka ta’ Fuq,
xi qraba u hbieb,
u fuq kollox
il-laqghat familjari
ma’ huti fi Kristu,
il-Christadelphians,
Walter, Josephine, Victor, Salvu u Gino,
ma’ Derek u Mike,
oasi ta’ ferh u farag f’dezert Nisrani.

NOTI MID-DJARJU TIEGHI DWAR IL-POEZIJA

NOTI MID-DJARJU TIEGHI DWAR IL-POEZIJA

Ikteb ghas-sodisfazzjon tieghek u mhux ghall-approvazzjoni u t-tifhir tal-qarrejja. Tistenniex lill-qarrej li jifhem il-versi tieghek kif kellek f'mohhok int. Anzi ahjar li l-qarrej ma jkunx limitat fl-interpretazzjoni ta' vrusek. B'hekk tkun hlaqt livelli differenti li jghinuh jespandi l-emozzjonijiet tieghu u jesplora orizzonti godda.
* * *
Lill-kritiku letterarju ghoddu dejjem bhala bniedem ta' vizjoni wahda tax-xoghol tieghek. Mitt bniedem mitt fehma. Bla ma jrid il-kritiku ta' sikwit jikkritika bi pregudizzju morali, intellettwali, socjali u politiku. Taghtix kas hafna tal-kummenti li jaghmel kritiku li qatt ma ppubblika vers ta' poezija. Il-kritiku letterarju li ghandu lsienu dejjem mimli velenu jitlef il-karriera tieghu. Daqsxejn arseniku hu stimulanti ghall-poeta, imma hafna velenu jeqred lill-kritiku nnifsu b'xi mod jew iehor (David Martin, Overland, 1962-63).
* * *
Aghzel l-istil li thossok komdu meta tikteb bih. M'hemmx differenza bejn stil tradizzjonali u modern, sakemm tohrog poezija tajba. Fl-Awstralja stess ghadna naraw il-poezija tradizzjonali mhaddma mill-ahjar poeti Awstraljani ta' zmienna.
* * *
Il-versi tradizzjonali jehtieg li jimxu dejjem fuq il-metrika fejn jidhlu r-rima, ir-ritmu, in-numru ta' sillabi fil-vers u hwejjeg ohra. Min-naha l-ohra l-poezija kontemporanja ma tfissirx bicca proza mqassma fi vrus biex tidher qisha forma ta' poezija. Iz-zewg ghamliet ta' versi jridu jinhaddmu bil-ghaqal u bis-sengha mehtiega.
* * *
Qis li l-poezija li tikteb ikollha xi haga ta' siwi u mhux hafna kliem vojt.
* * *
Il-versi awtentici ghandhom imissu l-hames sensi u jhalluna f'sens ta' ghogba.
* * *
Il-poeta jehtieg izomm il-kontroll fuq l-immaginazzjoni u d-direzzjoni tal-versi. Dan ma jfissirx li ghandu jkollu dejjem f'mohhu kif ser tispicca l-poezija, ghax tajjeb li l-poezija kultant tispicca ferm differenti mill-pjan originali tal-kittieb.
* * *
"Iddeskrivi sigra partikulari b'tali mod li ma tistax titfixkilha ma' sigra ohra." (Flaubert)
* * *
"Il-poezija aktar tinghogob meta tiftiehem fuq livell generali milli bit-dettalji kollha taghha." (Coleridge)
* * *
L-esperjenza poetika hi rizultat ta' kurzità u osservazzjonijiet li ma jaqtghu qatt.
* * *
Poezija ordinarja hi wahda li tirrifletti dak li l-poeta digà jaf fuq id-dinja ta' madwaru. Din il-poezija tkun akkademika, sfurzata, mekkanika, artificjali u bla ruh. Bil-maqlub, il-poeta genwin juza l-kitba biex ifittex u jesplora hwejjeg godda.
* * *
Uza vokabularju haj, mhux imqanzah; kliem naturali li thossok komdu bih u mhux kliem missellef li ma thossx rabta mieghu.
* * *
Hafna tixbihat f'poezija wahda sikwit itellfu l-unità u l-hsieb ewlieni li xtaq il-poeta.
* * *
Dak li nghodduh kontraversjali f'xi xoghlijiet poetici mhux l-ewwel darba li jkun il-verità li ma nkunux indunajna biha.
* * *
Zomm ruhek aggornat ma' dak li qed jinkiteb minn ohrajn b'kemm lingwi taf.
* * *
Dak li ma jinkitebx, imma jkun issuggerit biss, hafna drabi jkollu aktar effett u prominenza minn dak li jinkiteb, ghax anki l-kitba ghandha s-silenzji taghha.
* * *
Biex tohrog poezija tajba m'ghandekx bzonn suggetti straordinarji. Mill-irkejjen tal-hajja personali ta' l-awtur, bhat-twelid, bhall-hajja, bhall-mewt u bhall-imhabba, li huma fihom infushom temi universali, jixirfu l-isbah versi memorabbli u lirici.
* * *
Aqra, studja, tghallem...u ppublika meta tkun sodisfatt ghal kollox b'dak li tkun ktibt.
=================
=================

FREDU CACHIA

FREDU CACHIA

Wiehed mill-ghanijiet tieghi ta’ dawn il-puntati hu li nipprezenta versi ta’ poeti Maltin-Awstraljani fejn l-ambjent endemiku Awstraljan jispikka aktar minn elementi letterarji ohra. Qed nibda b’dawn il-versi ta’ Fredu Cachia. Cachia twieled Haz-Zebbug fit-12.3.1939. Mar fl-iskola ta’ rahal twelidu fejn thabbeb mal-Malti u baqa’ jhobbu dejjem. Emigra ghall-Awstralja fl-1960. Mizzewweg lil Vicky Agius u ghandhom erbat itfal. Jaqla’ ghajxienu bhala mastrudaxxa. Hu skultur bl-injam, ghannej u daqqaq folkloristiku bil-kitarra. Kien ghal xi zmien membru u Vici-President tal-Maltese Literature Group -- Grupp Letteratura Maltija. Poeziji tieghu xxandru fuq ir-radju u dehru f’gazzetti u fl-antologiji tal-Grupp Irjieh (1986) u Frott Iehor (1992). Karatteristika tal-versi tieghu hija l-ghazla tal-kelma hafifa imma mexxejja, nuqqas ta’ pretenzjoni letterarja u pinzellati satirici. Din il-poezija tieghu taghti hjiel ta’ kif ihossuhom xi Maltin emigranti fl-Awstralja, b’identità konfuza u l-lealtà romantika lejn Malta pjuttost imcajpra.

IL-GEWLAQ U MATILDA

Kemm nixtieq kelli gewlaq sabih
U xlief u qasba ghall-hut tal-qiegh...
Din kienet l-ghanja ta’ tfuliti,
U ta’ missieri, Lanca gejja
U ohra sejra...

Hekk il-hajja, ibni, fid-dinja.
U darba veru giet il-Lanca
U hadet mir-rahal taghna
Liz-zghazagh, lil tas-snajja’
U ta’ hila,
Lejn l-art fil-boghod
Fl-ahhar tad-dinja,
Fejn kwiekeb ohra jixeghlu bil-lejl,
Fejn Jannar jixwik bis-shana
U Awwissu jrezzhek bil-bard.

Gejt ma’ l-ohrajn
Mohh ir-rih, fejn laqat laqat,
Fejn kisser kisser,
Bla arlogg,
Bla kalendarju...
Iz-zghozija ma tafx zmien jew hin.
Mieghi gibt dak li ghallmuni
U dak li tawni dawk li habbewni,
Mhux go xi bagoll jew kaxxa,
Lanqas fil-bagalja
Li kull ma wesghet zewg qomos u qalziet.

Izda go fija,
Go qalbi,
U go mohhi...
X’jiswa li ggib iddendlu mal-hajt
Jew jekk prezzjuz taghlqu f’kexxun...
Kollox ixabba’ fid-dinja.

Imbaghad ghax kollox hinu
Beda x-xoghol u l-hidma
Li taghha gensna msemmi mill-qedem.
Ix-xoghol salmura tal-gisem
U ahna nies midhla sewwa tas-salmura
Ghax l-incova u s-sardin hbieb tal-haddiem.

Ghadda z-zmien
U thallatna mal-ohrajn
U l-ohrajn thalltu maghna
Kif ghamlu l-gnus kollha,
Izda dejjem zammejna,
Jekk mhux ghal kollox,
Naqra Bajda u Hamra.

Ghallinqas hekk ghext jien
F’din l-art li tant habbejt,
Li fiha kabbart u li fiha rabbejt,
Daqqa mnikket,
Daqqa ferhan.

Ghax kull meta hsiebi
Johodni fejn darba ckejken
Kont nonsob ghall-pitirross
L-Awstralja minn wara tigbidni lura nhoss...
Din hi l-hajja ta’ dan l-emigrant.

Jiena noqghod go dar Maltija,
Sa xatba u bajtra tax-xewk ghandi fiha,
U jekk xi darba tkun lil din-naha
U tisma’ b’lehen zarzari
L-ghanja Awstraljana
Jew dik ta’ dari,
Il-valz ta’ Matilda,
Matilda ta’ qalbi,
Imhallta ma’ l-ghanja tal-gewlaq sabih
U xlief u qasba ghall-hut tal-qiegh...
Inkun jien.

L-AMBJENT U L-KITTIEB

Fil-blog ta’ habibi Patrick J. Sammut
www.patrickjsammut.blogspot.com
dan l-ahhar qrajt b’herqa kbira ghadd ta’
intervisti li hu ghamel ma’ numru sabih
ta’ kittieba. Element prominenti li kien
diskuss huwa l-ambjent u r-responsibiltà
tal-kittieb li juza l-arti tal-kitba biex inharsu
ahjar il-holqien kollu. Bhala reazzjoni ghal dak li
qrajt, qieghed ingib hawnhekk numru ta’ poeziji
tieghi fuq dan is-suggett. Xi whud minnhom
ktibthom xi ghaxar snin ilu.


PIENA PLANETARJA

Kemm tidher sbejha d-dinja mill-ispazju,
gawhra li taghti fl-izraq go sfond vjola,
ibhra, oceani, xmajjar ziguzajgi,
turgien ta' shab iduru garigori,
tizwiq ta' lwien fuq artijiet tal-pupi,
u kollox pajjiz wiehed bla fruntieri.

U jekk hemm hlejjaq ohra f'dinjiet akbar
u jahslu jitrombjawlna, tghid jarawna,
kif ahna naraw lilhom jiddu sielma
minghajr dettalji x'hemm qed jigri fihom?

Imma mill-qrib xort' ohra. Kulma qlajna
fil-bidu farraknieh. Nittinna l-ibhra.
Hammigna 'l-art u 's-sema u kulma fihom.
Biddilna d-dinja f'xbiha taghna nfusna.
U jekk xi darba kellna nindukrawha
lid-dinja ha' tmantnina, illum tlifnieha
dil-hatra ta' gwardjani u ghamilnieha
taghna bla qatt ma kellna fuqha l-jedd.

U fuq ir-ramel li wittielna kollox
l-istatwa ta' Memmnon m'ghadhiex tkantalna
kif maz-zerniq kienet tolqotha x-xemx.

JINQERDU DAWK LI QED JEQIRDU D-DINJA

Dal-lejl ma nistax norqod
u mohhi m’ghandux kwiet;
inhossni qieghed neghreq
f’bahar ta’ hsibijiet.

Id-dlam igibli xeni
ta’ wgigh u ta’ tbatija,
ta’ qtil, imrar u diqa,
ta’ jasar u kefrija.

Jurini met’ ghal sufhom
biccirna ’l-foki z-zghar...
Baxx baxx gellidna ’s-sriedaq
b’difrejhom jarmu x-xrar...

Qtilna liz-zwiemel joghtru
jo’ mwegggha tat-tigrija...
hallejna f’nofs l-arena
lill-barri agunija...

U nfidna l-ors bil-mohbi
bil-holoq go mnifsejh
u kaxkarnieh bil-ktajjen...
accjomu nharsu lejh...

O lejl, zammejtni mqajjem
nhewden kif lill-holqien
ma harisniehx bil-ghaqal
u shetna kullimkien.

Iccaqcaq ic-canfira
tal-hlejjaq imharbtin
li bl-ahrax qed jixluna
b’hatjin, hatjin, hatjin!

U jkollna nhallsu d-danni
talli l-ambjent kasbarna,
u ninsgu l-ghajb f’kuruna
tax-xewk ghal fuq qabarna.

Nota: It-titlu ta’ din il-poezija huwa kwotazzjoni mir-Rivelazzjoni11:18.

IL-KOLLEZZJONI TAL-FRIEFET

L-ghalliem m’ghallimniex sewwa...
Kien passatemp ghalih
li jaqbad u jibbalzma
kemm seta’ friefet sbieh.

Nghid issa xi dritt kellu
li jzomm f’kaxxa msakkrin
gol-hgieg daw’ l-innocenti...
darba kienu hajjin!

Tassew li lwienhom jidhru
minn barra sahharija,
’mma min hu mgarrab jifhem
xi thoss ir-ruh mifnija.

Ic-celel qatt ma nbidlu
f’burdelli ta’ pjacir,
u l-hakem qatt ma serva
jew obda lill-ilsir.

U l-jedd ghal hajja hielsa
ma rajtx fil-kollezzjoni
tal-friefet, ’mma ghall-kuntrarju,
l-eqqel kontradizzjoni.

IL-PAPPAGALL

Il-pappagall jitkellem
harrabtu ghax fid-djuq
ma flahtx narah imdejjaq,
imjassar u maghluq.

Harrabtu meta wliedna
kienu barra mid-dar.
Ridt niskans’hom mid-dehra
ta’ swied il-qalb u mrar.

Zmien twil kien ilu ghandna
dan l-imsejken t’ghasfur
mghakkes go gagga ckejkna
wara l-hadid idur.

Nahlef l’ghozzejtu bhalhom
daqskemm kien jaf. Xi lsien!
’Mma qalbi taret mieghu
meta tajtu l-helsien.

Skantajna! Ftit jiem wara
gol-bitha t-tfal lemhuh,
u hasbu, ghax saffrilhom,
lura xtaqhom johduh.

Farragthom: “Postu l-berah,
u biex din it-taghlima
tiftakru, gie jroddilkom
b’kull hajr l-ahhar tislima!”

MISSJONI ALBATROSS

Il-ponta ta' lsienhom
xkubetta kkargata fid-dlam...
Jistennew ghall-barka bikrija...
Qabel ma jbexbex,
l-imtiehen
jittewbu bla ziffa fuq l-gholja.
Hdejn xifer l-ghadira
l-imqadef iqattru
bid-dawl ta' qamar jirrifletti
fuq qliezet tal-plastik.
Hamrana l-ucuh,
gharqana l-ucuh,
bla sabar jishru biex ikunu tal-ewwel
ghall-qatla mat-tokk taz-zerniq.
Nista' qatt ninseg ghanja
bil-labar tan-niket
ghall-mewt mistennija?
Naqsam ghommti mal-qasab tax-xmara
u nistenna jifhmuni
ha' jgerrxu 'l-borok imbezzgha?
Nitla' nixher minn fuq minarett?
Naffruhom!
Itilqu!
Harrbuhom!
Mill-kaccatur ehilsuhom!
Mas-sebh fil-hin dikjarat
jinghata s-sinjal
biex tibda t-tragedja.
Titwaqqaf il-forka.
Tmut l-ewwel borka.
Wicc l-ghadira jihmar
bl-ghenieqed ta' rix u demm
maqtughin bl-idejn tal-qattilin.
Kif ghadna ma fhimniex
li meta noqtlu t-tajr,
il-hut u l-bhejjem,
ghall-gost u l-pjacir taghna,
nergghu nwaqqghu fuqna s-sahta tal-Bahhâr
u nqajmu mill-imwiet
dell l-Albatross?!
Kull sena
bi protesta
jibqghu jintnu l-katavri
tal-ghasafar protetti
fuq l-ghetiebi tal-Parlament Statali.

IT-TORRI

Fil-bajja ghall-ftuh tal-Wirja Ambjentali
mal-gurnalisti gew in-nies kurjuzi.
Wara kelmtejn mill-President inkixef
Monument fuq ir-ramla jmiss mal-bahar,
Torri tal-Melh gholi sular u jlellex,
esperiment modern t’arkitettura
mahdum u mtella’ minn student tal-arti.

Inkiss inkiss il-mewg kiber u lahaq
sa taht it-Torri illi bicca bicca
tnaqqar u tgerrem sa ma nhall gol-ilma.

Il-membri tal-Kunsill gibdu r-ritratti
ferhana bil-progett. Ohrajn...min tbissem...
min baqa’ mbellah b’dak li ra...min capcap...
min waqaf iccassat bic-cinga f’idu
tal-kelb idur u jxemmem qalb il-folla...
U xi hadd iehor -- bejn halltejn x’kien deherlu
dwar il-hela u l-abbuz ta’ flus mormija
u x’hila wera l-iskultur b’din l-opra --
tnikker, paqpaq il-horn u ssokta triqtu.

L-INKWIZITUR

Is-serp li gie fil-bitha
gheb...
imma m’ghosforx ghal kollox.
Ghax ma qtilniehx
b’xi mghazqa,
hallielna mat-tkexkixa
x-xbieha tieghu
tlebleb gox-xquq u t-toqob
tal-memorja.

Kien ibni z-zghir li rah,
u sakemm dahal
jigri jghidilna mbezza’,
is-serp
sparixxa.

Aktarx l-inxif tas-sajf
u l-art mikwija
ressquh
ifittex l-ilma
li nhallu barra ghall-klieb.

Issa,
jekk ghadu hawn,
min jaf fejn stahba u tgeddes?
F’xi ferq fl-injam?
go xi katusa mkissra
jew qasrija vojta?
Qalb saratizzi qodma,
laned,
gebel,
skart?

Stajna qallibna
kullimkien
u shaqnielu rasu,
’mma mhabba l-harsien
tal-hlejjaq
u l-ghozza tan-natura,
jista’ jergghalna lura.

Ghall-anqas nittamaw
li sa ma x-xitwa traqqdu,
jibqa’ mkebbeb fejn hu,
ma jfiggx fil-berah
fejn ghandna
z-zewgt iklieb jaghmlulna r-ronda.
Ghax wara kollox,
bejn is-sriep u l-klieb
nafu
liem’ huma l-hbieb.

AMBAXXATURI

Xena 1

Fis-Suq ta’ Salamanca, Hobart, b’wicchom
mizbugh hadrani u b’libsa trasparenti,
f’nofs ix-xerrejja, tliet tfajliet bhal statwi
jiddefendu l-ambjent bla armamenti.

Xena 2

Fil-berah tal-kampanja ghal gharrrieda
iceklem wahdu, jien u nsuq ninnota,
mal-genb tat-triq, ragel igorr fuq dahru
salib imserrah u migbud fuq rota.

Xena 3

Mal-lejl, bhal dell imnaffar, ragel xwejjah,
maghruf mill-bixra ghall-eccentricità,
johrog idur mal-belt u qabel jghosfor
ihazzez mal-hitan ‘Eternità’.

BANK TAD-DEMM

Il-gzira l-ohra illi tatni l-hajja
hdejn din li qed thotthieli bla serhan,
ghac-cokon sifja, farka ramel, tikka,
werqa go bosk, qatra ilma f’ocean.

’Mma jien hawnhekk imbieghed minn gheruqi
aktar minn cittadin ta’ zewg blatiet,
jiena wild l-univers indur fuq gebla
maqtugha mill-barriera tas-smewwiet.

U l-pezza drapp li minnha nqtajt hi wahda,
minnha tfassal kull bniedem ta’ kull zmien;
il-lewn tal-gilda jvarja bhall-fattizzi,
’mma demmna wiehed, shun, ahmar nirien.

Dad-demm ixoqq u bih tissaqqa l-qiegha
tmewweg f’kull art bi twapet ta’ peprin,
u slaleb fid-dezert u arbli fit-toroq
bil-fjuri jfakkru l-frak tal-imfarrkin.

Niehdu u naghtu d-demm, l-òrgani npartu,
biex forsi ntawlu s-snin u nbieghdu t-tmiem,
imbaghad noqtlu ’l xulxin, avolja l-loghba
nibdewha bit-titjir ta’ kocc hamiem.

TQANCIC

Il-grajja tal-bnedmin
katalgu ta’ successi u bravuri,
imhallta hallata ballata
ma’ telf u kundanni.
Il-bniedem ihuf u jissajja b’saqajh mal-art,
ihares ’il fuq, jissaltja, jithajjar jilhaq u jlahhaq
mal-Hallieq u jsib (jahseb) helsienu.
Il-bniedem zatat
jibni l-oghla torri gewwa Dubai konkrit u hgieg
f’gieh ismu.

O dawn l-eccessi tat-tamiet
li nilhqu s-smewwiet
bi slielem zlugati,
li nirbhu l-ispazju,
li nrossu u naqflu go kejla l-kalkoli
taz-zmien u tal-wisa’!

Ha nghidha kif inhossha: xbajt mid-dinja
ta’ gwerer, glied, razzizmu u terrorizmu.
Kollox sar idejjaqni fuq il-midja:
l-intietef u t-tqancic li nara u nisma’.
Nipotizmu, tixhim, opportunizmu.
Misluh daharna bl-gherik ta’ dawk l’ ghorokna.
Irjus li jhobbu biss jaraw il-kpiepel
ghalihom imnehhija;
purcissjoni
ta’ puritani
f’nofs it-triq
imgennba
b’gemgha ohra safja,
bla dnubiet,
troddilhom
hajr u tifhir ghal meta jmisshom huma
li jgorru t-tbatijiet fil-Gimgha l-Kbira.

U ssib f’nofs dawn il-folol
xi nies
ghala bieb ghajnhom minn kulhadd,
f’kawza u effett ma jemmnu qatt
u jghixu
bhalkieku
huma biss
jezistu
f’dinja li nxorbot, qdiemet.

Sirna rahal ckejken
u mank ma nafu nieklu
minn platt wiehed
ftit ross b’subghajna.

KOMPROMESS

Nghidu ma rridux izjed annimali,
u nispiccaw biz-zewgt iklieb, bl-akkwarju
u l-pappagall. Bl-ghajat girienna ddejqu.
Wiehed mill-klieb izappap, wara l-hgiega
ma niflahx nara l-hut maghluq u mjassar,
u l-pappagall hadilna rasna jtaqtaq.
Ma xi trid taghmel jekk it-tfal gabuhom,
ghalkemm ghall-ikel u t-tindif mhux huma
li jiehdu hsiebhom, kollox f’idejn marti.
Tmigh ghal kulhadd kif ghall-kelb it-tobba,
tilqim, licenzji, sa mill-bitha jkollna
kuljum innaddfu l-hmieg ghax se jnittnuna.

Ma nafx x’inhu l-ahjar. Bihom? Minghajrhom?
Il-klieb tal-ghassa, il-hut ileqq jghaxxaqni
b’tizwiq ilwienu, u l-ghasfur jitkellem,
johrog u jidhol kemm irid mill-gagga.
Il-hut twieled fil-hgieg, ghaliex nithassru?!
Il-klieb isibu kollox lest. X’jonqoshom?!
Sa saqqu fil-garaxx ghall-kenn frixnielhom.

Li kieku l-hut, il-klieb u l-pappagall
jafu biex gejt, dawn zgur li jidhku bija,
’mma billi jidhku u jibku ma jafux
u lanqas jhewdnu kif qed naghmel jiena
ghax ma jirragunawx, nitkellem flokhom:
naccetta l-ikrah u s-sabih li jtuna
u nzommhom maghna...Waqt li jien, bla htija,
nibqa’ b’li ghandi. Min se jhenn ghalija?

B'TIFKIRA TA' KARMENU VASSALLO

NIFTAKAR LIL KARMENU VASSALLO (1913-1987)
SILTIET MILL-ITTRI LI BAGHATLI

30.8.1959
L-aqwa u l-ahjar mghallem ta’ xoghlijietek ma jista’ jkun hadd hliefek. Int biss trid tkun biex tizbor, tnaqqi u ssaffi dak li tkun ktibt. Ara qatt ma tahseb li kien hawn xi darba poeta jew kittieb kbir li ma kienx jongor xoghlu b’ghaqal kbir qabel ma johorgu ghad-dawl.
Hag’ohra. Ahjar nofs tuzzuna poezijiet tajbin minn sitt mitt wahda bla ruh u bla hajr.

13.6.1961
Fost il-poeti kollha Maltin, m’hemmx ghalfejn inghidlek, bl-aqwa u bl-ahjar imghallem tieghek qis li jkollok lil DUN KARM...L-ewwel u l-aqwa haga ghalik hi li thaddem kif titlob il-Metrika u minghajr tqanzih u tigbid...Ma jidhirlix li ghandek tinhela ghal kollox fuq ghamla wahda biss ta’ versi...Jien ghandi hafna minnek, jew int minni, kif trid int. Pjan jew disinn bil-miktub, qabel ma nibda nhazzez xi poezija, tista’ tghid li ma naghmel qatt. B’danakollu ma nghidlekx kemm gie li ndum immahhah u ntalla’ u nnizzel qabel ma naghti bidu ghall-kitba. Izda min-naha l-ohra, pjan jew disinn fuq fuq dejjem naghmlu f’mohhi. Ghad li qajla nhobb noqghod ghal dik li hi “a hard and fast rule", kien hemm drabi li fihom, qabel ma bdejt naqta’, qist u qist u qist..Fl-ahhar mill-ahhar, imbaghad, biex tikteb irid ikollok fuqiex, u li biex poezija tirnexxi trid tkun tassew imnebbha. Regola ohra ta’ min ighozzha bis-shih fil-kitba tal-poezija hija din: jekk tista’ tinqeda b’zewg kelmiet biex tfisser dak li tixtieq, tiktibx tlieta jew erbgha. Ftakar dejjem ukoll li damma ta’ versi, kienu kemm kienu sbieh u mexxejja u jdoqqu tajjeb fil-widna, mhux dejjem jaghmlu dik li hi tabilhaqq poezija...Il-hagar ghaziz (prezzjuz) qatt ma nstab bir-rfus u bir-radam! Ghax kieku ma kienx jibqa’ jissejjah hekk.

6.3.1962
Il-poezija ghandha mill-imhabba li fuqha jitkellem San Pawl fl-Ewwel Ittra tieghu lill-Korinti, XIII, 1-13. Il-Poezija la tghir, la tobghod u lanqas ma taghmel jew tixtieq deni lil ghajrna. B’dankollu, Hi m’ghandhiex xaba’ f’dak li hu mixi ’l quddiem jew tixbit fil-gholi. X’norqmu fiha u fina nfusna dejjem insibu...Il-ghan tal-poeti ghandu jkun xi haga hekk ukoll - jigifieri dak li jilhqu, jekk jista’ jkun, il-perfezzjoni artistika. Naqblu jew le?

18.10.1964
Dwar il-ktieb gdid tieghek ta’ poeziji, ‘Ilhna tar-Rebbiegha’ nifrahlek u naghli mieghek. Nifrahlek ghall-kuragg li ghandek li bhali tistampa x-xoghlijiet tieghek; u naghli mieghek ghax naf kemm jinbighu tassew ftit il-kotba bil-Malti..Nizzikhajr ta’ kollox. Ghoddni u zommni dejjem b’wiehed mill-eghzez fost hbiebek.

17.5.1968
Li nahraq £1,200 fi hrug ta’ ktieb (Vatum Consortium) ta’ bejn 600 u 700 pagna biex imbaghad jinqara minn madwar mitt ruh biss, narah u nqisu dnub kbir li ma jinhafirx. U jien lil hbiebi u lil ghajri ma nhobbx insallabhom mieghi. Jekk jinhtieg, nissallab wahdi...Nixtieq kieku nippublika xi ktieb iehor, imma nhoss u naf li mhux ta' min. Ahna konna u ghadna ‘barranin’ f’pajjizna. Tnehhi xi erbgha bhalek u bhali, il-bicca l-kbira ta’ hutna l-Maltin f’Malta hsiebhom biss filli jistaghnew bl-inqas tbatija.

18.4.1969
Kieku taf kemm swieli u ghadu qieghed jiswieli tahbit u nkwiet u glied dan l-imbierek ktieb tieghi (Vatum Consortium). U dan imbarra l-mijiet ta’ liri li jonqosni nhallas...biex narah xi darba stampat. Kieku taf! Sa avukat kien htiegli nqabbad, biex il-ktieb jitkompla; billi l-istampaturi, ma nafx ghaliex, wara li kienu hadmu sehem minnu, donnhom iddejjqu u ma ridux ikompluh. Hwejjeg li bilkemm jitwemmnu. Thallas il-belli flejjes (mijiet shah) biex tistampa ktieb, u taqla’ sahhtek u ghoddok tasal biex titla’ l-Qorti halli b’miraklu tarah xi darba mitmum! La l-Gvern u lanqas ebda wahda mid-Ditti Kbar ta’ Malta ma riedu jafu b’ghajnuna ghal ktiebi. Ebda habba ghajnuna ma nghatatli: u lanqas ghajnuna ohra f’dik li hi korrezzjoni ta’ provi. Marti u binti biss gie li kellhom jaghtuni daqqa t’id.

19.1.1971
Il-bierah..kif kont hiereg minn Putirjal...iltqajt mal-poeta Dun Frans li, kollu mghaggel, qalli li fix-xahrejn li dam l-Awstralja ha pjacir kbir bil-laqgha li ghamiltulu intom (L-Ghaqda Tal-Letteratura tal-Maltin fl-Awstralja).

IL-MILIED 1971
Nhar l-Erbgha, 1-12-71, il-Kummissarju Gholi Awstraljan ghal Malta, Sir Hubert Opperman, ipprezenta xi 60 kopja tal-ktieb tassew sabih taghkom, “Driegh Ma’ Driegh”, lill-Ministru ta’ l-Edukazzjoni u Kultura, is-S.na Agatha Barbara, biex jitqassmu fl-iskejjel tal-Gvern u fi skejjel ohra privati. Nifirhilkom u nizzikom hajr bis-shih.

18.10.1980
Flok ktieb ta’ qlib ta’ versi minn ilsna barranin hbatt kieku nithajjar nohrog ktieb b’gabra gmielha ta’ ittri li wasluli mill-1929 ’il hawn, fosthom xi tnejn jew tlieta milli bghattli s’issa int innifsek u milli baghtuli shabek u hbiebi msifrin x’imkien bhalek. Izda wisq nibza’ li mhux se’ jirnexxili naghmel dan: mhux ghax xi darba f’ghomri naqsitni r-rieda, imma minhabba xjuhiti u l-mard li gibitli maghha.

12.10.1983
Jisghobbija li whud minn hbiebi, jekk ma kinux hbieb taparsi, donnhom insewni ghal kollox u bdew ighodduni b’mejjet qabel ma mitt. Ma felhux jistennew ftit iehor. Waqtiet jaghtini li nibki: nibki mhux biss minhabba l-mardiet u l-ugigh li gibitli f’parti minn gismi xjuhiti (ghalaqt 70 sena f’Marzu li ghadda), imma wkoll minhabba l-ugigh li xi whud qeghdin igaghluni ngarrab f’qalbi. Qed ninnota li saret bidla ghall-aghar fil-qlub tal-kotra minn xi snin ’il hawn.

9.5.1984
Jekk kulma sehh fija wara l-1938 ma jaqbilx ma' dak li dhert jew kont tassew f'NIRIEN, il-htija tieghi hi li, aktar milli poeta, kont u bqajt dejjem bniedem - bniedem dghajjef tad-demm u l-laham bhal bosta ohrajn. Nitlob mahfra 'l-Mulej Alla u lill-qarrejja ta' NIRIENi wkoll.

18.10.1986
...poeti u kittieba u hbieb ohra li ghandi fl-Awstralja, ara ma jfettlilkomx tahsbu li jien ser ninsiekom xi darba. Kunu afu lkoll li jien ta' sikwit insaqqi hajr imhabbitkom bi dmugh imhabbti. U bhalissa tassew hiereg id-dmugh minn ghajnejja.
Hemm wisq x'wiehed ighid dwar "IRJIEH": 16-il poeta Malti...fihom pis gmielu u mhux lakemm taqbad u ggorru.

4.1.1987
(L-ahhar ittra tieghu miktuba fuq 'visiting card')
Ghaziz, tassew ghaziz habib ta' qalbi, Joe Saliba, poeta u awtur, nahliflek li xtaqt u ridt tabilhaqq, u ghadni nixtieq niktbilkom daqsxejn ta' recensjoni ghall-antologija "Irjieh", imma s'issa ma rnexxilix. Xjuhiti bil-mard ta' maghha u bl-inkwiet li ghaddej minnu minhabba li ninsab kif ninsab nixxfitli mohhi. Gie li jaghtini li ntemm hajti b'idejja, izda kull darba nsib xi jzommni lura.
...Lili hadd m'ghadu jghidli xejn - lanqas bit-telefon: tkabbru wisq it-taparsi hbieb li kelli.

KARMENU VASSALLO MIET TLIET XHUR WARA, FIS-7 TA' APRIL, 1987.

Il-versi li gejjin ta' Karmenu Vassallo huma xhieda tal-personalità qawwija u l-karetteristika genwina u onesta ta' bniedem u poeta kbir.

(Mill-ktieb tieghu "NIRIEN", 1938)
LIL...
Inti kelb bin il-klieb, u qalbek ghandha
mill-haxix kollu tajn ta' gol-widien...
Jekk ma jishtekx Min halqek
nishtek minflokU jien.

Int mohhok dghajjef: bniedem ta' qalb xierfa;
u, ghax bla hniena, m'intix bniedem kbir.
Jiena sultan tal-faqar;
inti tal-ghana rsir.

Jien immut bikri; inti le: haxixa
hazina u hajna, jghidu, ma tintemmx.
Ismek jidfnuh ma' gismek;
ismi jhozzuh fix-xemx.

(Mill-ktieb tieghu "HAMIEM U SRIEP", 1959)
LIL GASPARE PACE
(Silta)
Ilsieni jaf ixoqq daqskemm idewwi,
jibni daqskemm ihott,
bl-gholliq u x-xewk ixeblek
daqskemm bl-ghasel ibennen u bil-frott.
X'jien hdejn Orazju, Leopardi u Shelley?
Ghabra trab, hajta dell!
Imma bhalhom, bi vrusi,
naf inhannen u nhobb, nishet u nqell!

ENGLISH POEMS

THE GENTLE TOUCH OR A MANNER OF SEEING

She touches flowers, dainty cups,
knobs and dials,
as if they are sacred.
Handles fruit and vegetables
fearing she might hurt them.
Places cushions on sofas solemnly
like wreaths on cenotaphs.

And when she picks up a baby in her arms
we expect the child
to disappear into thin air.

JOE SALIBA


WITNESS

I know the drill to disaster,
the loaded rifle under the mattress,
the child unattended
near the rim of a pool, envy green.

I count the accessories
separating life from death,
hijacks and drugs digging deep.

These are no flower people.
I mark their faces parading
towards nightfall.
I hear the time-bomb ticking
with every step they take;
witness the bank hold-up,
the sound of the runaway car.

There's a knocking on my door.
A blue light twirls.

JOE SALIBA

ELEGIJA

ELEGIJA

Miet Frank...Miet Gorg...
Kroat u Grieg...Girienna...
U maghhom, boghod minn arthom, il-Maltin.
Xi xbihat taghhom jaqbzu mill-gazzetta
u f’ruhna mnikkta jibqghu minquxin.

In-nies tal-gâr li dfinna jumejn ilu
ghad jigu jfarrgu lilna
bl-istess kliem
li bih sabbarna lilhom,
sakemm nidhlu
ilkoll
id f’id
fic-cirku minghajr tmiem.

Fid-dlam ta’ qlubna,
mal-gulbiena bajda,
b’gelbin id-dmugh ifaqqas il-faqqiegh
bis-semm vjola tas-safar u tal-firda
inixxi
fit-tajjar
dbabar ta’ wgigh.

U llupjati kif sirna
bl-idea tac-cittadinanza doppja,
il-mewt u d-difna f’dal-pajjiz
b’daqshekk distanza,
nisthajjilhom
mostru grottesk
ta’ zewgt irjus
taht giljottina.

Imm’issa ghalija
wara das-snin mifrud mill-art Maltija,
go dal-pajjiz
se jisfa ahjar u aktar ghaziz
minn gozz hamrija hemmhekk
l-irmied li nhalli hawn
f’wiehed mill-krematorji ndaf xummiema
ta’ Fawkner Memorial Park.

JOE SALIBA

A COUPLE OF MY POEMS IN ENGLISH

FLOWER-ARRANGEMENT

I'm no good at arranging flowers,
keeping in mind the middle line,
what goes where, front or back,
propping up stems with wet paper,
blending colours,
balance,
the over-all shape.

There's something odd in the art.
I prefer others doing the trick,
making nature look natural by unnatural means,
elevating leaves for support,
disciplining dahlias, daffodils, daises,
regimenting roses
to show their best part.

Flowers sprouting
from vases of china, copper, or glass,
seem to come out of one root,
floating,
no earth attachment.

Savouring these passing pleasures
drying before my very eyes,
I nearly forgot to turn off
the water outside.

JOE SALIBA

RENDEZ-VOUS

When we die,
crossing the road,
saying our prayers,
reading a book,
making love,
having a cup of tea,
watering the garden,
pruning a tree,
awake, asleep,
in health or sickness,
it is that moment
we have waited for,
avoided,
ignored,
or even tried to forget.

It is the point where no roads meet,
when love and hatred don't exist,
no work, no rest,
no joy, no pain,
the pointless moment we let go
of precious life
in which, though full of strife,
we loved to cross
the swelling stream,
have a drink,
see flowers grow,
hold someone dear,
or simply take our beauty sleep
and wake to do the same again,
awaiting,
avoiding,
ignoring,
forgetting,
with every breath,
our rendez-vous with Life or Death.

JOE SALIBA