Signed by the Author
Paperback 5.5 x 8.5 in
113 pages
ISBN: 9780978186517
$9.95
synopsis
Path of Thorns is a powerful collection addressing universal themes– childhood, love, exile, endurance, death– and grounded in Manolis’ experience of civil war in Greece, and migration to Canada. He also explores the paradox underlying contemporary global suffering, epitomised in the floods of New Orleans. Yet the final sequence is a mythic celebration of our potential for self-transformation and creativity. In his intense lyricism Manolis pays homage to the Hellenic poetic tradition embodied in writers like Kazantzakis and Elytis, while reminding us of a common humanity that transcends cultures. These poems will resonate with many readers, at many levels.
excerpt
Lightning
Light condenses,
for tension,
descends to conquer,
to burn,
the bark of the tree,
the soul of the termite,
or perhaps the flesh of man.
Light condenses for tension
ascends from the abysmal spacetime
to conquer man’s sin;
to burn the soul of the jasmine
the flesh of an erred and errant man,
or perhaps the bark of this spruce.
Light condenses for tension
to stand in front of man
who emerges from the abyss,
who emerges stronger than spacetime and,
emanates as cruel as silence.
Man stands firmly on the ground,
erected from the dirt: Evoe!
about the author
Manolis (Emmanuel Aligizakis) is a Greek-Canadian poet and author who has written three novels and numerous collections of poetry. His articles, poems and short stories in both Greek and English have appeared in various magazines and newspapers in Canada, United States, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Australia, and Greece. His poetry has been translated into Spanish, Romanian, Swedish, German, Hungarian languages and has been published in book form or in magazines in various countries. His translation book George Seferis-Collected Poems was shortlisted for the Greek National Literary Awards, the highest literary recognition of Greece.
He heads Libros Libertad, an unorthodox and independent publishing company that he founded in 2006 with the mission of publishing literary books. He was recently appointed an honorary instructor and fellow of the International Arts Academy, and awarded a Masters for the Arts in Literature.
More on Manolis Aligizakis
Libros Libertad 