Harry Agius Ordway

THEN
Then, tiny though I were
I still remember vividly,
Myself, lurking in murky healthy water.
I thought am fish.
But in no pond, nor sea, nor ocean
I swam.
In a strange lively world I lived
Until into a stranger one I was muscled out…
Though I never opted to…
So much so that I was smacked…when out… and cried.

Funnily, as I cried, they laughed with joy.
Strange beings!
But, more strangely enough, they cared.

I’m helpless they say!

And they?

The “twins” demolished;
The Afghans afire;
Anthrax chaoting;
Palestine defying;
Drugs abounding;
Intollerance intoxicating;
Religions demonizing.

And Christmas is coming!
And then?

Oh how I wish to be back
Where I was …then!

TAĦT L-GĦUDA TAS-SALIB

Titwieled biex tmut. Tgħix biex tmut. Tissielet biex ma tmutx.

U l-ewwel bikja…għax twelidt? Jew għax twelidt biex tmut?

“Mma tgħix! Tissielet biex tgħix…

Minkejja l-ferħ, id-dwejjaq, il-mard, ix-xogħol, il-gwerer u l-imrar

U s-sess, u droga, kant ħlejju u daqq xellerat

Lkoll għalenija...għal ftit aljenar.

U tgerbu s-sekli u l-bniedem mill-bikri żviluppa:

Stinka, tkixxef, skopra, ivvinta u fehem.

U ‘ltaqa’ ma’ quasars, meteori, atomi... u l-BAĦĦ.

U ħaseb fuq ħaseb!

X’ser jiġri bil-BAĦĦ li miegħu jiltaqa’ kif jiemu jkun għadd.

U staqsa fuq staqsa...imbagħad wara l-BAĦĦ?

U hawn jien Mulejja b’moħħ mifni u ħosbien

Maqbud f’qiegħ ta’ fondoq li jidher bla tmiem,

Indur lejk mitluf...hekk sfiq hu l-ħsieb.

U nsaqsi: “War’jiemi Mulej...x’se nsib...il-BAĦĦ?”

‘Mma ‘l fuq, leħħa ta’ dawl, xrara ta’ Fidi

Li tiżboq kull dubju u tfawwar lil qalbi

U ddawwal lil moħħi bħall-ilsien il-Blandun.

Tfakkarni llum, li Int, iva, mitt fuq għuda xxurtjata.

”Mma mitt biex tajtni ħajja ġdida, eterna, glorjuża,

Li ġġiegħlni nistqarr f’dellirju ta’ ferħ :

”M’hemmx baħħ, m’hemmx baħħ:

HEMM INT!”

Ghalliem(irtirat) ghal 42sena fl-iskola Primarja ta’ Haż-Żabbar. Kitba ta’ poeziji u novelli li dehru f’xi rivisti u nstemghu fuq ir-radju. Kittieb ta’ bosta artikli, b’tema religjuza, f’diversi rivisti lokali. Niehu sehem f’qari ta’ poeziji u novelli waqt KIKKRA KULTURALI mnedija mill-Kunsill Civiku gewwa Haz-Zabbar matul is-sena.