TINA KALLIS
I was born in London 15/7/60 to Greek Cypriot parents. My childhood
dream was to come and live in Cyprus, I always felt a magical affinity with
the island and eight years ago this dream was realised when I emigrated here
with my husband and three daughters. I studied for a Business,
Secretarial and Marketing Diploma, yet always found writing to be my passion.
I started writing poetry from an early age and my teachers at school always
commented from my essays that I should think of a future career as a writer or
journalist. I have had articles published in the UK in local newspapers and
am in the process of having my first book of poetry published here in Cyprus
both in Greek and English. I have cowritten a novel with Stella
Kyriacou --Broken Carousel - which is at the moment being edited for the
American market at the request of our publisher in the US and this book
is presently being translated into Greek for publication at Christmas with
the title Dixos Avrio. I have had poetry published in international
anthologies and had an article about my pilgrimage to Apostolos Andreas published in
the Cyprus Weekly last year.
My future work includes a compilation of
poetry, short stories and photographs contributed by both Greek and Turkish
Cypriots pertaining to their feelings about Cyprus. This is my personal effort
in trying to break down barriers and show that artistically both
communities have the same emotions about our divided island. This work is entitled
"Weeping Island". Also together with Turkish Cypriots we are preparing
a website, again about Cyprus, with emphasis on the word "Cypriot" rather
than distinguishing between Greek and Turk.
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Midnight Surrender
The surrender of the midnight hour to our lust
And love brings a warmth to my heart that I had thought
Buried. Words are sometimes unnecessary to the senses
To feel undenying emotions. A touch, a whisper, a
Twinkle in stardusted eyes. A fairytale in reality.
Through lifes bitter hurts and tears, faith had died for
Wanting the protective arms of a lover to hold me tight
To draw from him his strength and passion enabling me
To face the mayhem of daylight. My Prince of Hope, as
You have become to me, has now
Entered my life relaying doubts and sorrow. From a previous
Life just as then, you came and took my hand and weakened
Soul and kissed life into it once more. My pale skin now
Alive with the love you have bestowed upon me. As a single tear gently
Falls down my cheek I can almost sense your sweet breath
Blowing it away followed by a caring finger wiping its dew
Permanently, never to return. My Prince, lest this is a dream
Kiss me tender, let my soul melt and become one with yours
So I can be at peace with my heart for it is beating and
Yearning for your acceptance...
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Time Has Forgotten
The old city masked in garish colour, lights
That flash taking attention away from the
Cracks and broken slates
Old stairways that once led somewhere, now
Dusty with steps that have collapsed
As I walk amongst the narrow streets
Inhaling in the dust and heat
I feel the stories and the memories of a
Bygone age that time has
Forgotten
Before me stands the remains of an old
Tailors shop. Scraps of old tweed
And cardboard pattern cut-outs laying
Discarded on the almost unrecognisable mosaic
Floor. I close my eyes and can almost
Smell the old man's musky odour
As he stitches together with determination
His sacred creation. I can almost
See him with his trusty tape-measure
Hanging loosely around his
Brown neck, his spectacles balanced on
The end of his nose. Sounds from
The old radio bringing forth a smile
On his aged lips as he hums
Along to the folk music.
A warm breeze brings me back to
The present. Walking with heavy heart
I carry on and breathe in the wonderful
Scent of the jasmine planted in an old
Tin can. Peeling paint on the
Once beautiful blue and green shutters
Now faded and sad. A cat rubs
Herself on my legs, gazing up at me
Looking for a friend in the
City that time forgot.
What pains me most is what I now see before me
A wall dividing a city in two. A
Barren land laying between two enemies
The Green Line as it is known. Here my journey
Ends, here I can go no further
From afar I hear the hodja's song, I wonder
If he is singing about peace. If so,
Then perhaps he should listen to the words
Not just recite them, only then
Can we hope to heal this
Broken hearted city that
Time has Forgotten.
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The Wings Of Love
Take flight you beautiful creature of
Love. Swiftly fly upwards with
Your lust for adventure. Leave
Behind the restricting chains
That hold you down. Open your wings
And feel the rush of air spurring
You forward. Breathe deeply until
You can taste the crispness of the wind
Higher and higher away from harm
Until you reach the candyfloss clouds
Where I am waiting for you
Then close your wings gently around
Me and let us enjoy this moment
Embraced within your wings of love
Flames of Desire
Smouldering with burning desire, rising to
Uncontrollable passion, the flames of
Desire crescendo with our hearts
Beating as one. Your naked body touching
My skin alighting it with sensual
Arousal, binding us mentally and spiritually.
Your kisses caress and touch both
My bare flesh and soul awakening my hungry lust
For you. Overflowing with covetous desire
I long to express my emotions to you, bearing my
Naked pathos, letting this fire unbridle itself
To seal us together
Eternally.
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Belated Farewell
The day will come, I know, for
I feel it stirring deep inside me. Rising
Like the early morning sun, slowly
At first, then crescendering
Into a spectacular attack
Of golden light. You may not
Realise it now, but soon
Like a sudden violent
Awakening
The truth will hurl itself at
You.
What, you may think, has caused
Me to react as I have. In a
Word - pain. Yes, I have
Suffered. Deep, emotional
Turmoil. Deep, horrendous
Anguish, trying frantically to find
The strength to exist
Day to miserable day. Hatred
Doesn't come into this, for if it did
It would be so easy
To leave you.
Visible scars cannot be seen
But inside I'm ripped apart.
Tension reigns supreme. Wary
Of what to say, or not say, lest it offends
Sending you into an all familiar
Frenzy. I can never do anything right
In your eyes.
Your scathing tongue lashes out tomes of
Fury. Spitting vehemently
Reducing my impoverished pride
To ashes of pain
Leave him, an all too easy solution. The
Logical choice. But since when has love
Been logical?
Have I not offered you my all?
What did I ever do to hurt you so, for what other
Excuse can I find for your
Vindictive actions. How much more
Do I have to endure before
I say enough? How many tears will
I continue to shed
Before there are no more
Left to fall?
When will that light at the end of the
Proverbial tunnel appear?
When will I turn around
And bid you a belated farewell?
Only then, when in the realisation
Of your failure, not mind
Will you look for me. Only then
When you will have no one to abuse
Emotionally.
Only then, my love, you will realise
That you cannot hurt me anymore.
Only then you will realise that in
Your own strange way, you miss me.
Only then, will you look for
Me, in vain. And when you call
My answer will be simply
Goodbye, my love.
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