Poetry: Yioula Ioannou Patsalidou

* Author of the Month *

Life

To caress me and i come to life
the creation smells sweet , the feast begins.

I dress up in morning, in colours light
i worship the trees, the earth, the water.

I kissed the noon and my heart grew wings
it fluttered, it searched for the embrace.

I befriended the dawn and it fell in my two hands
i married life and had three children

I named them love, justice, humanity
and i have happiness as constant companion
and i am not afraid of death nor of pitfalls.
***

Since the mythical times

Since the mythical times
they stand like bright beacons
of love of friendship
Pelops and Hercules

And the flames that light
at the altar of Olympia
are the people's compass
to the path they paved

Fine men and women
arrive on time once more
from the neighborhoods of the world
to compete for the wreath.

In friendship and love
in the stadium once again
they will strive for peace
and world  happiness
***

Time   

There, the end of another year
is here, once more!

How times flies and overtakes me!
It overtakes me and ruthlessly
pushes me into the abyss.

I am searching for allies ,to beat it.
To slip by it, to save myself.

And never to be defeated by it.
To make it obey to what i want.
To send it back to the early seventies
and stop time there.

To be blessed again
with a never- ending celebration
for the joy of life .

To savor once again
the sweet fruits of justice and peace
And live on the rhythm of celebration
what ever life i am left with.

---

Yioula Ioannou Patsalidou was born and raised in Avgorou Famagusta Cyprus. She studied french language and civilization  in France and also photography. The chronic corruption in her country's power deprived her human rights and prevented her from working in areas for which she was first examining in Cyprus. They also deprived her of her inheritance right over the property of her wealthy ancestors and state officials have owned the property.
She worked in the tourist industry while having her own show on local radio.
She also has been member of a traditional dance group. She has been writing literature since 11 years old. She publish six collections of poems,short stories and fairy-tales.
Her poems and short stories was translated into English, Alvania ,Servian German, French languages  She participated in many international anthologies and she was awarded abroad many times.

Setu, August 2018