Dr. Roula Pollard, Greece (Winging through Gloom: Poetry of Hope and Recovery)

Roula Pollard

Dr. Roula Pollard, a Greek poet of the Diaspora, has been translated into ten languages, and is included in more than 170 international poetry anthologies. A recipient of several international poetry and humanitarian awards, she has to her credit, four poetry books, a collection each of short stories, essays and one act plays. Dr. Roula Pollard was a literary promoter in England and has translated the works of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes into Greek.

WOMEN KEEP LOVE AND PEACE ALIVE

Today, tomorrow, always 

in all seasons, decades centuries, even in the darkest of times

women increase their love, keep it strong to lift the world out of its misery. 

Today, tomorrow our love multiplies with affection, active love, 

protective, sincere, passionate, honest and blessed. 

Our love's fullness grows goodness to heal us and the world 

to heal our wounded planet. Alert day and night 

on a motorway of patience and determination 

alert to nurture our children’s lives with love 

to feed our husbands confidence and support 

our children, mothers and fathers.

In our hearts and our minds, we plant daily 

in the earth of our hearts, prayers for World Peace.

We kneel on the Earth, the Earth we spray with our tears, love and thankfulness.

The universe absorbs our joy and tears, our prayers fill the cosmos with love!

Oh God, hear all mothers, wives, daughters, hear our prayers for Peace. 

Stop the wars, let goodness grow in us, Oh God. 

Today, tomorrow, always

I, we stand against all aggression, wars, nuclear and conventional.

I, we, women stand against oppression, drugs and their lords, 

we stand against the abusers of children, media poison, 

we stand against intimidation, against evil.

Today, tomorrow, always, I pray for forgiveness, compassion

World Peace and true love.

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Setu, March 2022

Poetry: Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard

THE DAY OF YOUR FREEDOM

Nature is our first homeof body and mind.

On her heart and freedom God created us

She is the river of catharsis, my mother since birth.

Mother earth, why do I permit the merchants

To sell youin the slave-market of the world?

Why, I allow themto mutilate my mother daily?

You donot deserve it.  Am I yourloving daughter?
Am I a human being? Am I your protector?

I protect you mother, by oath

To abolish your slavery, to terminate your pain

To cut one by one thechain links off your shackles

Your abusers must be punished
It is a sacred law.

First, I will abolish earth slavery in my spirit

From theslave market to the stock exchange.

I will abolish the mutilation of your soil and organs

Emptying your body from your natural nutrients.

The triple cultivations per year, this wild violation

Must be abolished,earth rights must be established.

For which our violated world, ready to erupt as a volcano.

Your days of freedom, I expect like the coming of Christ.

Jesus Christ, I pray, come back to earth to free the earth! 

WHEN I WORK DAY AND NIGHT 

I call it a prayer

My spirit becomes more aware

My fingers strengthen by the light

My lips sing songs of gratitude

My life lengthens seen and unseen.

I pray, that the trees open their leaves

The soil livesa fertile life naturally

Without any use of destructive fertilizers,

The sea keeps growing healthy fish, not poisonous 

And the currents of the ocean remain a miracle.

I pray, nuclear waste is not deposited in the oceans

And sewage and plastic bags are recycled globally.
I pray, the birds keep breathing and their songs we listen to. 

I pray, the air breathes its own freshness, I pray we keep breathing

I pray,asthma, bronchitis and respiratory diseasesare eliminated.

Aloud or silently, when

I pray, I am fed each day also by air spirituality

I pray, I walk in a pilgrimage of light and love.

I pray my prayers are lifted up in the sky
and return to the earth, my sister, my brother,

 

THE VOICE OF BIRDS

If I could translate the language of birds
I would be able to read better my destiny,
in the wild hillsides of my life, with bee hives,
I untrained, up in the highest mountains of life.
Or, when I fly in the formations of migratory birds
at strenuous heights, longing with logic and harmony.

The earlier you learn to live happiness and gratitude
in your personal oceanic depths, in the self-sea-coves
of the unknown, the fewer battles you fight and lose.

The NDA of Happiness becomes immutable,
if her wings are guided by faith and knowledge.

Faith, joy and happiness eliminate fear,
faith reveals the miracle of divine light by Grace,
it offers comfort and confidence on each personal route.
Happiness supports the strife of progress the humankind
seeks, each person prays for you, blessed happiness by Grace.

ROULA POLLARD
Roula is a Greek poet, playwrightand translator, literary promoter and environmental activist. Her work has been translated into eight languages.
She has received international poetry awards and is published in international literary magazines.

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Local 2020 :: Setu, June 2020

Roula Pollard, GREECE

Exclusive: Best of Women Poetry: Edited by Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

WE WOMEN KEEP LOVE AND PEACE ALIVE

Today, tomorrow, always
in all seasons, years, centuries, even at the darkness of time
we women increase love, we keep love strong to lift the world above misery.
Today, tomorrow our love multiplies affectionately, active love, protective, sincere, passionate, blessed. 

Our love's fullness grows goodness to heal us and the world
to heal our wounded planet.

Alert on the motorway of determination day and night
alert to nurture our children with life’s love
to feed our husbands with confidence
to nurture our mothers and fathers.

On the hearts of our minds
we plant daily on the earth of our hearts prayers for World Peace.
We kneel on the Earth, the Earth we spray with our tears, love and thankfulness.
Joy and our tears the universe absorbs, our prayers fill the universe with love!
Oh God, hear all mothers, wives, daughters, hear our supplications for Peace.
Stop the wars, goodness grow in us, Oh God.

Today, tomorrow
I, we women stand against all aggression, wars, nuclear and conventional weapons
I, we women stand against oppression, drug use, drug lords, we stand against children's sexual abuse, media poisoning, we stand against intimidation, against evil.

Today, tomorrow, I pray for forgiveness, compassion
World Peace and true love

Roula Pollard, Greek poet, writer, essayist, playwright, translator, literary promoter and environmental activist, has published three Poetry collections in Greek, and one in English translated into Telugu. She has promoted 150 poets, writers and artists. Her poetry is published in several international anthologies and literary magazines, and translated into eight languages. She has received numerous poetry awards. Roula studied History and Archaeology and obtained an M.A. in Classics, at Leeds University. She has participated in several international festivals and is a Member of the Board of Directors of Atunis-Galaktika. Roula Pollard’s poetry always advocates peace, environment protection and a new Humanism.

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Best of Women Poetry -2020 :: Setu, March 2020

Poetry: Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard

A TREE, ALWAYS IN MY MEMORY

I am in the memory, like the rings of a tree,
as you are in my memory.
I am not yours, you are not mine
only oneness in love. I have no possessions.

A tree I am.
This tree is not yours, nor mine
our life is a tree
valuable as our shared planet, valuable as oneness
in wholeness on this planet. Sea breezes
unite us, like a sea soul
even sadness is shared
in the body of our Universe.
Usually, I say “ I gave up sadness”
turned it into an endless song
long as the days of my life
united by a delicate cotton thread with you
or by the strongest ropes, like those anchoring boats
on the pier, or long islands of the soul
visited in summertime.
United, yes, by a hyper-lexicon of love words
united by all trees to create life’s oxygen
united by all hopes like a rising dawn
united by strong, powerful links
of world love
world peace



HAS NATURE LOST ITS WAY?

When on long nights, I hear sudden cries perhaps coming out
from white pillow feathers, do you exist in the same world
my friend, in which continent do you live?
Are the nights strange there too, blending with yellow
like swollen pieces of sky hanging from the ceiling
in the next room, or from your dreams?
Are the days confused like drunken birds in the sky?
There are some white days too
pure white without illusion
mixed with pollution.

Over - polluted environment
gives birth to white days
mixed with a sea of lies
in the United Lies corporation
with white and dark.
Where is the unlimited
truth hidden?

If you go to the beach today, my friend,
greet the sea, ask her for forgiveness too
for my silence and your ignorance,
you know the waves
are searching
for their peace

Setu, January 2020

MEMOIR: How the child grows her love for Nature naturally

Roula Pollard

As a child I grew up in an idyllic countryside environment surrounded by the sea, at a time when the word industrial pollution was unknown in the Greek islands. The island of Zante where I grew up was pure and fresh at the time as it was 500 years before. The 100 year old houses in the historic village I grew up, almost as ancient as time, were built from pure materials; cement was totally unknown then. The walls of our home was at least 75 cm thick, to keep the house warm in winter and cool in the summer.

Porches were extra large protective covered areas built in the right orientation, for morning and evening seating and family relaxation. Our home was a safe castle for our family and we were proud of its almost ancient origin. Home had its own garden where specific organic vegetables grew each season. I loved to plant them. Meat was a delicacy for special celebrations and seasons and was home produced. 10- minute walk on foot from home was the wine yard with its special varieties of seasonal vegetables and fruit trees. Along its long footpaths, wild scented roses and lavender shrubs, thyme and rosemary bushes were the delights of my childhood. I had my secret areas which I visited alone to find rare orchids and wild honeysuckle to dream and learn the perfect rhythms of nature. Delighted by the celebration of colors, fruits, vegetables and crops throughout the year, I also discovered the mystery of the sky, different and varied in castellation every night and experienced the owe of God by admiring the sky’s blessed colors. Thus, I followed the traditions of my forefathers ceremoniously. The clarity and multi-blue brightness of the star lit sky is one of the most important experiences in my life. God was a daily experience, made more real with my grandmother’s improvised stories of creation.

So it became natural to me to plant my own flower garden at home at the age of eight years
 and found a way to care about it when I went on summer holidays. It was also natural for me to start a large school garden at the age of ten years, my love for flowers and color combinations was what I now consider a divine gift, but did not realize it at the time. After I fully planted our school garden it never crossed my mind why other school girls or boys of my age did not help me, despite my admonition to do so. This was a happy beginning of living in nature for nature and me, my love experience with the environment. Our school garden was damaged five times by floods and wild winds but I never gave up. In time I learnt that replanting life follows perhaps similar rules. One makes another brave optimistic fresh start. I now wonder where I found the courage and the new plants every time I started to plant from the beginning our new school garden. I now wonder why I never was disappointed, defeated, lost faith or it never crossed my mind that a new garden could perhaps have the same possibilities to be lost under flooded water and mud. Optimism starts from the heart from lack of fear.

My next junior environmental project was to plant a pine trees wood in the barren area of the school yard. For this, I had volunteers who were my friends at school, both boys and girls. It was at no time that hundred pine trees were planted with hope in celebration. It came naturally to me as I was looking after the pine trees, eager to see the growth of these future pine woods. I decided to water the pine trees rather than playing during the school breaks. This is how my long love for nature started and blossomed and it is more than a serious part of my life up to now.

As the teenager girl grew into a high school student and then a young woman, the environment acquired a stronger serious place in her life. I will now turn the “I” of my youth into the “she” of the mature woman who always worked hard to maintain, protect and teach the value of the environment to my son, students, and friends and widely to citizens of our planet.

SELECTIVE VOLUNTARY ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNS IN ENGLAND AND GREECE

 As a high school student, she took the initiative to organize the planting of hundred eucalyptus trees, in a treeless area along the long road to hospital, in the town of Zante, island of Zante.

In West Yorkshire, England, as an environmental activist, she took the initiative and co-operated with the “Friends of the Earth” to investigate the dangers for a large rural coal mining community from considerable methane gas emissions caused by the rubbish it was deposited there for years in a long disused hollow area, 3 meters deep railway track.

 Finally, the tripping stopped due to the dangers diagnosed after investigation.

Organised an environmental campaign in co-operation with the local Member of Parliament, an environmental film producer, local Councillors, environmental specialists. In the campaign the General secretary for the environment in West Yorkshire was very positively involved, as well as students, lecturers and long suffering local people to investigate the severe pollution caused by the largest public factory cleaning mined coal to smokeless coal, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She previously consulted and took the advice of local family Doctors for the statistics of respiratory diseases in the area, which were far above the national average. As a result, a pollution measuring station was placed in the school grounds of the main village and the statistics about the air pollutants were made for the first time ever, available to the public in the Central City Library.

Additionally, she and her team together with the Secretary for the environment visited and inspected the large coke factory. After checking records, it was found that a much higher than permitted number of “coal ovens” to make it into smokeless coal were treated during the night thus the air pollution was not seen during the night, neither the inhabitants of the area smelled the severe stench out of the huge factory chimneys. Luckily, it was found out that a European directive about air pollution was expected to be publicised and come into effect six months after their visit. The factory then was obliged by law to use special filters to reduce considerably the excessive air pollutants emitted from the factory chimneys during day, and night in particular.

She subsequently contacted more family doctors in the surrounding coal mining areas, which had much above average environmental pollution and gave them statistics about environmental pollutants and further respiratory diseases in those areas.

Also she co-operates with a leading African environmentalist,who is Environmental Impact Assessment and Auditor Expert Professor in Kenya, Jared Akama Onyari, whose Association “Kenya Environment and Waste Management Association” is affiliated with the United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) about key environmental issues in Greece, Kenya and Africa in general.

She has contacted the leading Indian Professor Jaydeep Sharangi, who is leading the field “POETRY IN THE ENVIRONMENT” to look further into advancing poetry readings and learning in the environment.

In Athens, Greece her major environmental campaign for almost seven years was about radiation caused by mobile phone aerials. She spotted a large mast of a mobile phone area in a low height building in the centre of a densely populated area in South Athens. She also discovered a specialist Professor in molecular biology at Athens University who started to measure the radiation 10 - 350 mts away from the aerial, in the city square. A nursery school, a large primary school, the adjacent park, the senior citizens center, multitude of shops and multi storey buildings, all were affected by the radiation. She also contacted the leading journalists in Greece, who had international experience on mobile phone aerials radiation at a time when many dozens of people had died because they lived near mobile phone aerials areas.

The students of the professor, including his family, were out on the streets and visiting houses measuring the radiation daily. 99% of the local citizens ignored even the existence of the aerial. At least three people had developed serious types of cancer 30 mts away from the aerial, among whom was a daughter of a judge. We took the matter up to the council, collected considerable number of signatures but the council refused initially to discuss the matter publicly until we found that there were not legal permits issued for the installation of the aerials. We took the matter to the High Court and won, including legal compensation. The compensation was never paid but we obliged through the council the telephone company to replace the old types of three mobile phone aerials with a modern one emitting less radiation. Our suspicions that the telephone company has given money under the table to the mayor and local councillors was beyond any doubts. The council did not reply our letters and we became trapped somehow. Our gain was that the mayors of the nearby boroughs started similar campaigns and court cases, as well as in other far away municipalities of Attica, where 6 million people live. We are still waiting for the final court decision. We learnt through serious lessons. The judges are not adequately aware about the seriousness of damage to the body and number of deaths caused by radiation from high frequency mobile phone aerials. Corruption abounds. Doctors and teachers are not aware of the dangers. An amateur environmentalist has to do specialized international research to argue with public bodies, and it is time-consuming. People ignore the obvious and sometimes they may never know that they themselves may be a victim too.

Setu, January 2020

Roula Pollard, GREECE

I COME AT THE RIGHT TIME

How to forget specifics specifically, how to forget
especially the war storm, acid rain, hostile wind
raging over humanity, tanks attacking innocent citizens, nuclear weapons?
It does not matter if the stock exchange does not open today.
Let a clear sea breeze blow inside the house of our mind now.
Let children grow in harmony. We promise children this evening
we women prevent frosty political hearts to enter into history now.

We women have better plans.
We stop the war typhoon from violating our rights. We beg the moon, her light to brighten
the garden of the world with more compassion this evening.
We women ask all flowers if they can grow through the night
in peace under moon’s music.
We order the dark spirits to hideaway this century.
We forget forever their existence.
We women ask the spring to grow patiently, step by step
protected by love’s patient scented blossom.
Lovers grows happy like wild flowers.
The sea recites in the universe poems for peace this evening.
We women ask Poetry to grow in its flesh eternally.
We tell history to act in Peace from now on.
We reassure people to be confident
to hope, dare, be brave
have courage.
I only need your sacred promise
your tenderness
your spirit high
this evening, always
I want a peaceful world
I am a woman.


DARK STORM INSIDE THE SEA SKIN

Do I love you my sea, like a window of hope in the wind
or like my heart on an operation table and, what else?
Like blossoming flower I watch you from distance.
Yes, I love you like an ancient sea
like a sea of love horizon
nutritive love, land
of the sea unseen
sails like the sea
on the sky
not like a derelict sea, not like an orphan.
I love you like you love me, as
healing is performed by light
but you have not. They drowned you
like war refugees, orphans
children on transit
The sea is not like an orphan
her parents, we women
protect her, we understand her violation
we protect her with love


WE WOMEN KEEP LOVE AND PEACE ALIVE

Today, tomorrow
our will power feeds love stronger
in all seasons, years, centuries, since the darkness of all time.
Today, tomorrow our love multiplies affectionate or silent for you, active love, protective, sincere, passionate, blessed,
our love's fullness grows goodness to heal you,
me the planet, to heal wounds
On the motorway of determination day and night
alert to nurture our children with life’s love
to feed our husbands with confidence
to nurture our mothers and fathers
On the hearts of our minds
we plant daily on the earth prayers for Peace
we kneel on the Earth and spray it with tears, tears
the universe absorbs, our prayers fill the universe with
our love the universe absorbs! Oh God hear all mothers, wives, daughters, hear their supplications for Peace. All wars,
Stop the wars, our Father
our goodness grow, Oh God,
grow our prayers the tallest more fertile tree of love in your universe
Today, tomorrow
I, we stand against aggression
against war, nuclear and conventional weapons
I, we women stand against oppression, drug use, drug lords, we stand against children's sexual abuse, media poisoning
we stand against intimidation, against evil.
Today, tomorrow
I pray for forgiveness,
positive progress
more prayers
more Peace
more love


Roula Pollard is an inspirational Greek poet and writer, translator, essayist, short story writer, Educationalist, Peace ambassador and literary promoter. She studied History and Archaeology at Athens University and obtained an M.A. in Classics at Leeds University. She was a Part-time lecturer in Modern Greek Language and Civilization in England. Roula writes poetry in Greek and English, and has participated in numerous international and Greek Poetry festivals. She has three poetry collections in Greek to her credit and her 4th “Century of Love” was published bilingually, in English and Telugu in India. She has translated Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes into Greek. Her poems, translated into Italian, French, Spanish, Albanian, Hindi, Urdu and Telugu, have been included in over 50 International Poetry Anthologies and have received several international awards. Her Poetry, through the themes of love and healing, hope and peace, deals with social, environmental, political and humanitarian issues.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019

Story of the White Dove: Rashid Pelpuo

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo

The machine that moves peace is a small white dove that tells a story
It tells a story of its creation.
It was created out of nothing but the purity of clean breath of light that shines into  hopes and dreams
It tells the world it flies unhindered in the vastness of the sky not because it wages wars nor because of conquests but because it exudes love and cares
In it’s existential consequences of living a life it breeds joys and friendship from the ashes of burnt hate and cremated  vulgarity
In trudging care to polish our human love it flies into the inner depths of life to pour out trust in tune with ourselves.
It joins the broken pot that holds our faith in fiduciary with our desired harmony
And it’s the song of peace
We sing it each day with every breath of consciousness and every hair of our skin in pulsation
We bury each day our tormenting iniquities to reach the kingdom of existing shades of understanding
It tells about us, who we are

It  tells a story of peace.

Rashid Pelpuo is a Ghanaian politician. He is a recipient of Pentasi B Life Achievement Award in Poetry, 2015 and 2017, India, and a Gold Medal for Culture Award from the World Union of Poets 2017, Italy.

Setu, September 2018

Interview: Prof. Jared Akama Onyari

* Roula Pollard talks to Prof Jared Akama Onyari, Chaplain and Peace Ambassador *

Prof. Onyari

Roula Pollard: Prof Onyari, I chose to interview you because although you do not write conventional books, you deal daily with the Spiritual Poetry of one of the best books of life, the Bible, and you act in God’s Poetry. Tell me about your childhood experiences in Kenya.
Prof Onyari: I was born on the 2nd day of October 1968 and raised in Nyasore a little village at Nyamira county, Kisii region in Kenya . I was one of twelve children born to Harrison Onyari Minyega and Eunice Mocheche Onguso. Like any other ordinary child at my time I grew with a lot of difficulties because I was orphaned at an early age but I am thankful to my late Mum the role she played in instilling Christian principles to me. She encouraged me to work hard in my education as this was the only sure way to make a difference to humanity and succeed in life. She always advised me to care for the environment , be a friend to nature and at all time support the disadvantaged and less fortunate people in our society. This has contributed and shaped me to what I am today.

Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard: You belong in a large extended Kenyan family with approximately 100 members, and have 22 siblings (brothers and sisters) in total; been among others, a chaplain, community leader, strong women's rights promoter and supporter, Environmental Impact Assessment Lead expert and a Ambassador of Peace; you remind me of the Biblical Patriarchs. Can I call you a “21st Century post-Modern Patriarch” and how do you react to this title?
Prof Onyari: Thank you for seeing me as a “21st Century post- Modern Patriarch but I see myself as a humble servant of God who lives for the sake of others.

Roula Pollard: You are also a Professor of Development Studies in Nairobi, and Counselor, top Environmental Impact Assessment Lead expert with accreditation with the United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP). What is your connection with UNEP?
Prof Onyari: As the President of Kenya Environment and Waste Management which is accredited to UNEP, this means that the accreditation grants my organization consultative status at UN Environment within the rules of procedure of the UN Environment Assembly. In practical terms, this means that in the run-up to the sessions of the UN Environment Assembly and the Assembly itself, as an accredited organization of Major Groups, I have the opportunity to receive unedited working documents of the UN Environment Assembly first-hand and at the same time as the Committee of the Permanent Representatives, and to make oral and written contributions to these meetings as well as circulate written statements to Governments through the UN Environment Secretariat and make ake oral statements during the discussions of the UN Environment Assembly..

Roula Pollard: What is your role as an Environmental Impact Assessment Lead expert?
Prof Onyari: As an Environmental Impact Assessment Lead expert, I do interpret legal frameworks for the proposed project, screen and scope to identify the likely impacts of the project to the environment. I also ensure project comply with environmental legislations and regulations and Contribute to the project appraisal processes by reviewing, analyzing, and advising on social and environmental impact risk. My other role is advice on best practices and contributing to the supervision of the projects by providing oversight on the implementation of the environmental and social mitigation and monitoring arrangements.

Roula Pollard: What is your role as a Peace Ambassador at Universal Peace Federation and as a President of Peace Society in Kenya and president for Africa Peace Foundation?
Prof Onyari: As Peace Ambassador in Universal Peace Federation, a President of Peace Society in Kenya and president for Africa Peace Foundation I stand on the common ground of universal moral principles, promoting reconciliation, overcoming barriers, and building peace. I am part of a global network representing the diversity of the human family and all disciplines of endeavor. Also promoting the cooperation beyond boundaries of religion, race, ethnicity, and nationality. And pure practice the motto of “living for the sake of others” as the guiding principle for building a global community

Roula Pollard: What is your role as promoter and supporter of Women’s rights? What have you achieved?
Prof Onyari: For instance during the “African Liberation Day” on 25th May 2018 in Nairobi I said there is need for women to be recognized and their importance in terms of involvement in peace and security issues to achieve long lasting stability. This acknowledgment stems from the efforts, to my understanding, of international organizations, national governments and civil society around the world to establish what we now know as the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. I have continued to promote women rights through Advocacy in all its forms that seeks to ensure that women, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, are able to: Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them. My support and promotion is geared towards guaranteeing equality before the law and non-discrimination for all people in the exercise of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, across the range of social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights.

Roula Pollard: What is your role as a leader of the Green political party?
Prof Onyari: I am the head of .the party and promoter of grassroots democracy and provide leadership as well as articulating party policies particularly on the environment.

Roula Pollard: What do you do as HIV Aids Counselor?
Prof Onyari: As an HIV/AIDS counselor I perform several roles such as counseling, educating, campaign planning and policymaking. And as a counselor I assist individuals that have been infected with the virus to overcome the trauma and put in place various coping mechanisms to help the individual lead as normal a life as possible aimed at making the individuals to achieve and sustain behavior change.

Roula Pollard: Prof Onyari, among others you look after the feeding, upbringing, education and health of 51 children. Do you consider all these children part of your family?
Prof Onyari: Yes, I do consider them to be part of my family because I have given them an opportunity and to feel being part of my family. This is a result of my firm believe and knowledge that every child is of need to be love and be part of a family.

Roula Pollard: Africa has been exploited for many centuries. Are you optimistic that Africa is becoming a prosperous continent spiritually and financially?
Prof Onyari: Yes. The social and political efforts and desire of the African people is to live in a strong, stable and prosperous continent, which is not only vital for Africans but is essential for the world. Africa’s abundant resources, its most precious being its young people, rapidly-growing and often digitally native and entrepreneurial population. To achieve a ‘win-win’ partnership with Africa, the world must take Africa’s own ambitions more seriously. Africa’s development must build on its assets the most precious being its people.

Roula Pollard: Thank you for this interview and wish you success with your projects, especially with caring of the orphans, the environment and your Peace efforts.

Setu, August 2018

Poetry: Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard

IT RAINS HAPPINESS WITH LOVE, AGAIN

You sat on a chair, near the dawn
your hand touching my hand
my imagination, into the universe.
Your hug perhaps touches my mind
your eyes sail always to the direction of rain.
Yes, in the heart of the mind once more we hear
rain drops, we hear present and future kisses in the rain.
Do I love you again in the light of all time
like whiteness of froth, a route, a destination?

Do you know how far is

the white from the blue? Just a millisecond of light. Do you
know how far poverty is from wealth? Just a thought
of action away from true action. Do you know
how far is hate from love? Just two steps.
Do you know how far is war from peace?
Not hate in the DNA of nations.
When I think of you beyond every day thoughts
love sails on a balmy day in the sea
and I see rain on the horizon again
happiness it rains again
from the sky of life
it rains love.

HOW MUCH SHOULD MY CHILDREN REMEMBER?

A WAR REFUGEE MOTHER
Memory has her own home,
do I live in a non-habitable memory land?
I did have a land of memory of me and my childhood
my parents, the lakes and rivers of our land.
Now, many rivers run out of water or do you truly
want to know? Blood and ruins; ruins of history
from darkness of inconceivable and inexplicable acts.
Where am I now? I am an orphan, orphan child of the world
carrying in plastic bags lost feelings, emptiness of feelings
carrying and rushing my children, my food, my feet to the
new, new land of hope, in search of memory. My children,
I do want you to forget the frozen floors of your tender
childhood. Remember the beach and the palm trees
of this Athenian coast, remember ice cream running
down your knees, remember playing football
barefoot, remember your mum like a flower.
These memories are enough for you.
And when you fall asleep, forget the color of blood.
Try only to remember the rain running down
through the holes of our tent.
Let me remember what you must not.
Remember the path of hope
dreams like the lane that runs
along the tram tracks
in a blossoming afternoon
full of spring
flowers of hope.

ODE TO LOVE

If you raise

the other side of unseen positive self,
full of goodness, the God inside you
if you know how to love you-me
if you believe in you and me

if you accept where and how much goodness I-you are

I am in all and you

If all the oceans, sky, sea-land-heaven of self
fulfillment in reality and vision
sees the mountains, land of sky, rivers of the self
and the full view of invisible, visible happiness
reality is the river- lake- land, homeland of life
full existence of Life in love
all I Love.

Setu, June 2018

Dr. RASHID PELPUO INTERVIEW BY ROULA POLLARD

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo

Roula Pollard: Dear Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, welcome to the SETU Poetry interview. You are a Ghanaian politician since 2005 when you were elected into Parliament and a highly respected poet. How do you combine both?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I have come to appreciate that in both Politics and Poetry one needs to think constructively with the aim of impacting the lives of people meaningfully. It has helped me in dealing with the two situations of politics and poetry in a manner that enables me to translate my thoughts and reflections into action to deal with the daily lives of people and society. I come to terms with the daily struggles of people and I both give that a thought and practically try to address them to help address problems and impact thinking in a more productive manner. For me poetry and politics make an easy combine.

Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard: You are well known in Africa as a leading political figure expressing new ideas regarding immigration, political corruption and development. Please elaborate on your political upbringing.

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I come from a background as a leader of a youth group that sought to change the corrupt attitude of the Ghanaian.  At the time wide spread corruption, lack of accountability and inertia were seen as the new normal and political office was a place to amass inordinate wealth. As I matured into higher political office my whole idea was to improve the lives of people sustainably and to make corruption a high risk activity. I combine my speeches with my poetry. I was also sad to note the insatiable desire of the everyday Ghanaian to leave the country and migrate to Europe and America. I noticed much of it was because of bad leadership and chronic economic failures. My advocacy was for us to fight corruption and promote good economic policies. I wrote about these things and organised forums about the need to ensure sustainable development long before I was first elected into office. My idea was to promote these ideas to the rest of Africa. I wrote numerous commentaries which were read over the national broadcasters; radio and television of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation..   I continued on this line of thought when I was elected into Parliament in 2005. This may have been the catalyst to spur on my colleagues in Parliament to overwhelmingly elect me to represent Ghana at the Pan African Parliament in 2010. At the African Parliament I spoke at a wider forum and was one of eight Members who were selected to visit the European Parliament to under study how it operated.

Roula Pollard: Did you want to be a politician since childhood? You were very young when you became a minister.

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I did not start by wanting to be a politician. As a young person I had other ambitions. I wanted to be a teacher. It influenced my choice to read my Bachelor degree in Education and Economics. However, being a public spirited individual I joined many social groupings and at each of them I was elected as one of their leaders. As a member of the Democratic Youth of Ghana I was elected its regional President. As leader of this youth group I initiated and carried out many voluntary projects. As for example I organised free classes for drop out students to help them get back into school. I got involved as kingpin in offering voluntary work to construct schools and a clinic for poor and vulnerable people. Again, while I was in the University, I was president of the Current Affairs club which discussed Great revolutions, such as the French, Russian and American Revolutions, Marxist thinking, and how the current development issues are shaped. I was also the President of the Northern Student Union, a union that sought to draw attention to the lack of development in the northern sector of the country. I also joined the university drama and writers club and was its secretary. Besides I was President of the Tertiary Education and Institutions Network (TEIN), a Political Organization which formation I spear headed. All these introduced me to a drive to leadership thought. I never tried to enter politics immediately after my university education. My entry into the political fray was championed by a group of young people drawn from all walks of life agitating to have me elected as the Member of Parliament of the Wa Central constituency two years after I took up a post as director of a Youth Leadership, and skill training Institute at the National Youth Council.  I was not so enthusiastic about joining national politics. I loved my work as a trainer and a poet. It was not until seven years later, supported by a larger segment of society, when I came into the race and was overwhelmingly elected into Parliament in 2005 and became a Minister when my party won the 2008 election.

Roula Pollard: I will speak without deterrent. Politicians in general around the world are arrogant.  How and why you distain this political arrogance and substitute it with kindness and a humanitarian attitude?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I have always loved to teach and help people. I dislike strong and influential people bullying the weak and vulnerable. I never fought in my life but for two situations when in school I tried to prevent stronger boys bullying and unduly punishing other weaker students. Whenever it's about fighting for justice for others I speak without fear and I do so forcefully. Not many politicians love it. I suffered a few knocks as a result. But I think it's coming from how I grew up. I recalled how my father brought me up along with my other siblings and many other orphan children and treated us with equal measure of love and care. Those children were two of my late uncle’s children who my father took in after their untimely demise. I also loved the house helps in my house and even as a child, will protest anytime my mum was mad at anyone of them. With this background I grew up knowing that other people will always need help and kindness especially if they are vulnerable. Thus I eschew arrogance in my relation with people in general despite my background as a person of royal birth in my part of the world. In fact in all my life I associate more with the weak and poor in society.

Roula Pollard: Do your radical political views and leadership abilities herald the content of your poetry?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I mostly write about freedom and liberation, corruption, peace, despair and social order. These have everything to do with my political views. Also although in my estimation I do not get enough support from many influential politicians, I enjoy a lot of overwhelming love and support from many grassroots people across the country. My political poems which appear as Letters from Overseas in my book; The True Meaning of Life, are examples of some of my political views that crystallized into poetry.

Consider these two poems I picked from two of such letters. The first talks about a symbolic politician who has ruled so badly and had to now face the people seeking reelection.

Political failure
At the few attempts he made

To explain away the vulgar parvenus

All over the realm of public life

He lost his calm

Especially when the crying children

And their mothers clad in rags

Waved their plight at him

He walked away head down into time.

Lamenting the deep seated corruption:

And we are drowning

In the proceeds of our avarice

And so if you hear that

Our politics is rebelling,

Don’t feel strange.

It’ll be sloughing off its old skin

To grow a new one, a better state,

To create certainty in our lives

To grow out of poverty

And to kill those rude passions

Awakened by the taste of people’s power,

Power by the people, on behalf of the people

Desecrated by its consumption

These two poems have a lot to do with my political views contrary to the expectation of the status quo.

However, I suppose that my style of leadership and my political ideas are accepted by the nation. This is born out of the general mood of the country when I was reshuffled as a Minister of of Youth and Sport. The country spontaneously exploded with disapproval and criticism of the President for a bad decision. I had to make a statement in Parliament to appease the many well wishers. 


Roula Pollard: Which were your childhood experiences and how did they influence your writing?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Growing up everything and every situation I came into contact were a new experience to me and I had an idea of recording those experiences but did not want to record my thoughts in a dairy. Poetry was handy for me as soon as I was introduced to writing in verse. I plunge into poetry writing early in secondary school and have enjoyed it since. I love Shakespeare and I love African poetry and was greatly influenced with my early study of these works. Reading these materials was also an early inspiration.

Roula Pollard: Since when have you been writing poetry?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: My first known poetry writing was when I was in my second year in secondary school. I contributed the highest number of poems in our school poetry Magazine called the Phoebus. I was generally hailed by my teachers and fellow students. This is about thirty years ago.

Roula Pollard: Is poetry for you necessary to balance your political aspirations or is it more than a balancing act?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Poetry comes to me naturally. For me there is no difference between my poetry and my politics. My politics manifest in my poetry and is generally to educate and to entertain. There is a balanced equilibrium in what I regard poetry and what my thoughts are. Some how it boarders on what I may regard as naïve in politics. In politics there's a lot of intrigue and mischief. In poetry there is purity of ideas based on an inner believe in what is true about life. I try not to play the intrigue and the mischief. I state the bare facts within the concept of our universal truth in poetry which is what my poetry is all about.

Roula Pollard: Has your writing and political theory been influenced by any poets, writers in particular or you never had time to read poetry?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Three English poets and writers William Shakespeare; Thomas Hardy, and William Wordsworth and three African Writers:  Chinua Achebe, Ngugi Wa Tiongo, and Kofi Awonor have been a great influence in my poetic thought and my political theory. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Ngugi’s Petals of Blood for example have great influence on my political understanding of the reality of our human conduct.

Roula Pollard: I know you as a poet since 2016, from the “Africa-Ghana Pentasi B Poetry Festival and met you at the “Indian World Poetry Festival”, Hyderabad, October 2017.  Have your poetry style and ideas changed since 2016 and in what direction?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Obviously getting to know people like you with very clear and inspiring ideas have an impact on my poetry. My poetry style has not changed but my ideas have been affected. I try to respond to my new environment which now includes the new ideas I accommodate.

Roula Pollard: What are your future plans as a poet?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: I plan to publish a bigger collection of my work. I also plan to do children poems directed at helping to promote peace and understanding in the world. I plan to promote my poetry in schools around the country.

Roula Pollard: How did the poet and politician Dr. Rashid Pelpuo foresee the future political and social developments in Africa and internationally?

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Africa is an enigma. It has all the natural resource capability to be rich and happy yet it's the poorest continent. Its environment is one of the friendliest but the people suffer from self inflicted pain. My thought is that there must be an intentional orientation of the African mind towards a peaceful more productive and orderly society. I see a future where Africa will awake to a new era in which citizens will be well awake to question their leaders and hold them responsible for leadership failures and corrupt practices. I also see a new African society in which leaders and citizens will ensure proper functioning of the laws in a sustained developed economy.. I see a future of Africa where the world will respect Africa for the generation of new ideas for development.

Roula Pollard: To my knowledge, you are the first politician-poet we interview by SETU. It has been a great experience to know you as Politician and Poet. You herald a new era of Hope and Progress. Thank you very much for this interview. From us all in SETU, I wish you success as a world leading politician and inspiring poet.

Dr. Rashid Pelpuo: Thank you so much. I am privileged.

Setu, June 2018

Eleni Lytra-Charara Interview - Roula Pollard

ELENI LYTRA CHARARA C.V.
Eleni Lytra-Charara was born in Athens and grew up in Konistres in Evia.
She had been working for twenty years in National Bank of Greece, studing at the same time in Athens University of Economics and Business. She studied also in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and attended creative writing seminars.
She is a member of UNESCO TLEE, of poets in the Educational Group of Petroupolis and Community Center of Kymi-Aliveri in Evia.
She is a coordinator of a Reading Club in Konistres, and X.E. DARDANOS Publications.
She lives in Kifissia and the spends her free time with writing. She is married, and has a daughter and a son.

Roula Pollard

Roula Pollard:  Dear Eleni, you are primarily a novelist. How did the memories and experiences from your childhood and the environment you grew up affected your writing?

Eleni Lytra-Charara: Our childhood years define who we are. Our family, our social interactions and our place of birth mould our character and form our way of thinking.  I grew up, until my adolescence years, in a village of  Evia. I have been blessed to be surrounded by an affectionate family and caring friends blessed by freedom in natural surroundings. I have been fortunate enough, to have great teachers who taught me to read literature and dream. We faced many financial difficulties, due to rough times, but "books" were always a part of our lives. I believe that writing is an integral part of my memory from all these influences.

Roula Pollard: Which International and Greek writers influence your writing and impressed you before you became a writer?

Eleni Lytra- Charara: I cannot distinguish which book or writer influenced me the most.  Famous Greek writers, such as Papadiamantis and Kazantzakis, as well as Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy played a great role, of course, modern Greek and international authors and poets have also affected me as they influenced my ideas and inner growth.

Roula Pollard: You had five novels published so far and also you are a poet. Is there a common theme running through your writing?

Eleni Lytra- Charara: The main idea, in my books,   the reader discerns is “Nostos”, which in Greek means nostalgia for the homeland. The eager desire of a Greek immigrant in a broader sense, as well as the haunting thought of returning to the homeland  always exists in my characters and poems.

Roula Pollard: Tell me more about “the theme Nostos”. What are your particular experiences related to this theme?

Eleni Lytra- Charara: “Nostos” is someone’s desire to live with his loved ones in his homeland. Personally, I experienced this feeling through my friends and relatives, during my journey to Australia. I felt intensely this overwhelming feeling, this repatriation yearning. Even those who were born from Greek parents, second or third generation immigrants, have a strong desire to return to their parents’ homeland. A very close friend of mine, who lived there, opened her heart to me, when we met. I felt her intense feeling of nostalgia and that was the inspiration for my first novel.

Also, my strong childhood memories reinforced this experience. As you know, travelling in those days was not easy, not even to receive news from relatives who lived abroad. I was feeling my mother's pain for her sister, who lived in Australia, and never saw her during her lifetime again. In her letters, feelings of nostalgia were underlined as well as her  homesickness.

Roula Pollard: Can you mention any Greek poets and writers, since antiquity, who are known internationally for this particular “Nostos” theme?

Eleni Lytra- Charara: The idea of “Nostos” in Homer was a great topic. It was linked with the Trojan War, it was a postwar chapter in “Odyssey”, focused on Odysseus and other prominent epic characters.

Roula Pollard: My mind also goes to the Greek poet from Alexandria, Egypt, Konstantinos Kavafis and to his poem “Ithaka”. Is there any relation between “the Homeric Nostos”, your “Nostos” and Kavafis’ poem “Ithaka”?

Eleni Lytra-Charara:  Kavafis is inspired by Homer's “Ithaca”, Odysseus's desired destination.  Kavafis refers to his own Ithaca, a psychological and metaphysical quest for life experiences and wisdom,  through an inner journey. The poet uses symbolic Homeric names (Laestrygones, Cyclops, Poseidon) without any reference to Odysseus, and these symbolize human aspirations such as "saints, amber, evanescent and hedonistic herbs". My theme of "Nostos" is about the “contemporary immigrant” who has left home to seek a better life. But respects the new country he settles in. However, he always thinks about  returning home. So, my “Nostos” touches a little bit Homer's as well as  Kavafian Ithaca.

Roula Pollard: Do you find any relation between the current waves of educated Greek immigrants abroad and the waves of “war refugees” from Asian and African countries to Europe? 

Eleni Lytra-Charara: Through all the migratory flows, there is a need for a better life. This is the common element in all these immigration flows. Depending on their abilities and the conditions, immigrants resort to countries that are “more friendly” and “easy” to adjust.

Roula Pollard: Returning to your writing, can you please refer to your personal writing style. I understand it is deeply personal and charismatic.

Eleni Lytra- Charara: Each writer adopts his/her own way of expression and  own personal style. My writing style, according to my readers, is simple and documentary with some theatrical elements. Perhaps this is true, because when I write, it feels like talking to my heroes, and we enter into dialogues.

Roula Pollard: What is your opinion about contemporary novel writing in Greece and which Greek novelists from the 20th century up to now, express clearly, in your view, the Greek way of life and society.

Eleni Lytra-Charara: During the last decade, the number of novels published in Greece has been increased. Young talented writers are published daily. In my opinion, there are plenty of remarkable writers who are widely known abroad. Some of the most well-known and well-read contemporary writers are Nikos. Kazantzakis, Vassilis. Vassilikos, Pavlos. Matesis, Thanassis  Valtinos, Rea Galanakis and others.

Roula Pollard: What is your involvement in the contemporary literary scene in Athens?

 Eleni Lytra-Charara: Recently, I have been an active member of “Petroupolis poetry group” led by the well-known author Dimitris Varvarigos. I am  also member in a group, which organizes poetry events. Our aim is to promote communication through poetic poetry. I am also a coordinator in two Reading Clubs, one in Athens and one in Evia Island, where we read novels and share views and ideas. So, we enhance creative reading and friendship.

Roula Pollard: Thank you Eleni, for this inspiring interview. I wish you more success to the forthcoming publication of your book.

Eleni Lytra-Charara: Thank you so much Roula, for our fruitful communication and your wishes.

Setu, May 2018