Androulla Shati

Androulla Shati (Cyprus)

I was born in the bicommunal village of Dali, in the district of Lefkosia, Cyprus. My house is between the mosque and the church. We lived beautifully, simply with love amongst us the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. I grew up with these sounds and these human feelings.

I studied at the University of London and I taught English for many years. On my return to Cyprus I started teaching English in various schools for about 35 years. I brought up 4 sons and have twin boy grandsons. Two blond little gods whom I miss because they live in Spain.

Ever since I was little I had a great interest in man, the environment, music and generally literature. I write stories. Poetry and theatrical plays both in the Cypriot dialect as well as Greek. Also I sing with Kibris  Havalari Dernegi our common Cyprus songs both in Greek and Turkish.

I have been singing professionally for many years. I especially love traditional, folk and rembetiko songs. Also I belong to a local amateur theatre group and at the moment we are rehearsing one of Dario Fo’s plays.

In the last 3 years I am a public relations officer in the non for profit organization textile recycling Anakyklos Perivallontiki. I do presentations on the environment in schools and communities followed by workshops using recyclable materials.

My dream is for all the Cypriots to live peacefully together again in a reunited motherland. Our Cyprus is too small to be divided in two

 

 

THE RAIN THAT WAS NOT TO FALL                                     

 

Like the rain that was not to fall

The words suspended, were collecting the dust of time

One word for you who did not show up

Another for you who did not leave

Thoughts decaying

no solace, no rest for the soul

so many questions in Aeolos flask

they spin me around

I become the point of life’s javelin

I perforate yesterday and today

I stir up

I take off and fall again

I fall. I do not touch ground

Simply fall

My fall becomes a wing

I fly looking for you

You who have enthroned yourself inside me

We have become one

In vain I have been punishing myself

For not holding you in my palm

A little idol of a little god on the altar

Which we built collecting tear upon tear

The rain that did not mean to fall

PALESTINE

We, who for numberless days

put our buried dreams in place of a pillow,

you, who for many nights

put your hungry children to bed,

time will come

when justice will defeat bitterness.

On unwritten paper, myriads of poems

could not soothe the pain.

Time has come nevertheless!

The world will be rebuilt!

Carefree smiles will blossom

on our children’s lips.

The day will come when mothers

will cease to raise children

and allow them to be devoured

by the black engines of war!

 

AVANTI

When you set sail for places mysterious

Places far away

Wish that you only find Atlas there.

When you set sail for the harvest

Keep gold in your mind.

Just like a gold-digger of modern times

Set out with a satchel on your shoulder

And flying sandals on your feet..

Go and fetch the apples

There, where evil meets good

And the rocks of Gibraltar close

There, where they crush the dove’s tail

There steal the support of the sky

Take Atlas unaware

Pretend you are a mercenary

Pay with your soul tax

You, a new Hercules

Keep the distance

between heaven and earth

Between death and life

Just there, you will find me

A spark in your darkness

A flash of light in your grey

A note of melody in your silence.

Extend your hand

Lead the dance

And smile

Look ahead

Always ahead

Go on