1) What do you think of the poetry circles/societies in Cyprus as compared to world circles online? Are other poets supportive or jealous in Cyprus?My personal opinion Cypriot circles of poetry had very high standard so it can not need to compare with any one.
As for other poets if it's supportive or jealous you find it anywhere in the universe. If your writing is good why you must be jealous of anyone? If you are not that good you must try to better yourself Someone who is spiteful of you means not believing his worth and trying to give false impressions.
2) Does history find its way into your writing? How do you reconcile time and place in your prose?
Yes, I write many poems about unfair wars. The strong start against smaller nations without a second thought about the Victims of their actions.
For example, my own country Small Cyprus which for fifty years has been unlawfully occupied by Turkey, and 200,000 refugees are still refugees in our country. And for that, I write many poems. One of them is THE HOUSE OF THE REFUGEE.
The time I reconcile and place for my writing is where the inspiration comes uninvited and touches my soul. There and then I take the pen.
3) Is there a national character to poetry in Cyprus? How does your poem "The Illusion of Faith" find itself in that tradition?National poet in Cyprus is a man which writes mostly in the Cypriot dialect and his name was Vasilis MIchailidis, God blessed his soul. .The Illusion of Faith in my poem found its way into the Cypriot tradition which demands keeping your self-respect. So you can look everyone in the eyes without shame, even if that makes you miserable and it's times you cry when you realize it was only an Illusion of what you were dreaming about.
4) What is "The Illusion of Faith" about? It has both sentimental and deep longing, with a sense of forgiveness. The lines, "The heart carried the pain all alone willingly / with the decision to keep / the perfect picture of you / with the illusion of keeping company / as you know well / willingly you stay absent" has both the ideal sense of the loved one and yet it conveys a shattered hope. How does the moon capture that feeling in this poem?
Yes it was sentimental but we learned to forgive because it was not to be.
Sometimes the moon is your company and cries alone with you, He was the only witness to the pain of your heart!
5) You are at work on a novel. Is it a different process for you stylistically? Why not a book of poetry instead?
This novel is my third one.The first one was published in 2011, and the second in 2021. In the many times 4 poetry books. As for the novels it is much harder work to accomplish a novel. But when there is a will is a way...
6) What are your writing habits? Do you prefer a schedule?My writing habits, use to do it during working hours which were 15 hours every day 364 days of the year .My first novel as I work less hours I put a goal to write one page a day and I finished in 18 months!
7) What is on your current reading list? Does anything you are reading relate to your writing as well?
My current reading is when something I see is worth reading, then I read. Otherwise, I try to write when the shores of the day allow it. I think my writing has my personal touch but if I can learn something more from reading someone else book then I do it.
ILLUSION OF FAITH.
The moon is feeling sad
As deprived of eros smile
That one that made your face glow
when you looked at it in the moonlight
The falling star never made true
the wish to ever be together
When it falls it gets lost like our mad dream
which was never to be
Happiness ends there and then,
When our love has gone with the wind
and disappeared.
The pain is mourning in silence
but the smile still hanging
on the upper lip without touching the eyes
The heart carried the pain all alone willingly
with the decision to keep
the perfect picture of you
with the illusion of keeping company
as you know well
willingly you stay absent
without goodbye
Maroulla is from Cyprus, and for over 40 years, she lived in South Africa. She began her writing career when she was 16 years old and is still actively pursuing the art of the pen. During the course of her writing career, she has published four poetry books, and in 2011 she published her first novel, “To Mentagion Tis Eftihias (The Pendant of Happiness)”. Her second Novel is published in June 2022, In between 4 poetry books and plethora of an unpublished work. She hopes to finishing her 3rd novel by 2023.
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Thank you for the publication of my poem Maroulla
EFFORT
The window of mystery
where iron bars close it shut
Arts and heart come along.
Very decisively
they open it for us.
Inside, hidden treasures that calloused hands /
with effort and perseverance
with zeal and with passion
bring here the stars.
Maroulla Panagou
20-5-2024