Preface

Poetry readings have been occurring for decades around the world in universities, book stores, cafés, corner pubs, and coffee houses. Always their aim is to bring poetry closer to people.

By hearing different voices of poets responding to what is happening in the world, something unique can happen. For then, so it seems, the international level suddenly touches down surprisingly at a local level like a sea gull on the water in the port of Marsaxlook.

It will be the second time that such a poetry reading and musical evening takes place in Marsaxlokk of Malta, there where traditional fishing boats in the port face the power plant at a distance. Indeed, it is a beautiful, equally suitable location to meet modern contradictions.

15 months have passed by since the first poetry reading took place in May 2013. In the meantime, the longing of people for peace has but intensified. Everywhere, so it seems, violence and wars have erupted in places very close to Malta, namely the Middle East. Also not to be forgotten are places like Eastern Ukraine. After the Malaysian plane came down on July 17^th, killing all 298 people on board, while that same day the Israeli Defence Forces started their incursions into Gaza which left in the end more than 2000 Palestinian and 70 Israelis dead, the dream of a peaceful world seems ever more shattered. Indeed, things have become even dramatic for Europeans. Having enjoyed relative peace since 1945, they feel that war has now returned and even entered their homes.

All around the world too many innocent victims have lost their lives, among them children and women, while too many have been made refugees as their homes have been destroyed or they had to flee out of fear for their lives. Thus while last year's poetry reading aimed to hear the tunes of the verses, the poets have this year sought to come to terms with war and conflict in 'Search of Peace' while asking themselves, if poets can really change the world by stopping the continuity of war?

The need for poetry varies from country to country, but always it is important that people are not left alone, culturally speaking. Whether in El Salvador or in Eastern Ukraine, violence and uncivilized behaviour can only be stopped if people have the cultural tools to face all of this made possible by not feeling to be left abandoned by the world. Thus if through poetry and music people can learn to listen to other voices, such a cultural way may help to resolve conflicts other than through violence and war.

The reading in Marsaxlook is made unique by adding the dimension of music. For sounds of music akin to voices pronouncing words does bring out nuances of different meanings and thereby allows for greater empathy for the other. Moreover whether the poets are emerging or established, local or international, the interesting thing about such a reading is that one never knows what to expect. The audience might be surprised or be emotionally challenged or laugh in fits. But surely especially this it matters if some peace is found by letting the sound of the words and music touch the inner soul.

Such an evening is made like a poem by the people themselves when they read aloud the poems written by others and then listen to the music and songs. For surely if conditions for peace are to be created, then humanness is needed to end war. Poetry and music are there to remind what Karl Jaspars said already in 1951, namely to fight the immortal monster called war one does not need to become oneself a monster.

Paul Dalli / Hatto Fischer

(Co-organizers of the Poetry Reading)

Marsaxlook 7^th of September 2014

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Preface