AFENTOULIDOU, ANNA


AFENTOULIDOU, ANNA

Anna Afentoulidou is a philologist. She is a holder of a Master's Degree in Creative Writing (postgraduate studies in Surrealism and in Cypriot literature). She is a poet (Short List of State Poetry Award 2014 of the Ministry of Culture) and a literary critic. She is the author of 6 books and participated in many collective volumes. She has also written many essays and articles in literary magazines, and participated in Greek and international conferences and scientific seminars.

She is a member of work groups on educational materials such as the curriculum of Literary Education, reception classes for refugees, special education and differentiated instruction, as well as on actions to prevent addiction in youth.

 More about author: 
First name:  ANNA
Last name:  AFENTOULIDOU
Projects: 

Collector


Burnt butterfly wings
beside the line
left by a squished firefly.

Tales I forge
pinning broken earrings
on the eyes of plain dolls.

I shall be smoking at night
staring at their remains,
scattered upon the wall.


Muse


He called to me, again and again with his low, almost melodic voice so persistently and tenderly, almost torturously. Until he managed to get me out of my chronic sleep, from what seemed to me like a lifelong lethargy. Deep green thoughtful eyes, black curly hair. Thin, snow-white fingers. He used to slowly wrap a curl around his index  finger as he spoke, with his gaze lost somewhere far away. A poet who was looking for a painful inspiration. In such trying times. After all these years. A small miracle of life. 
On that night he persuaded me to touch his lips; oh, how many years had it been since I had last felt it! He tasted the little secrets of art and love and I got something that, having decided that no one would ask for, I had fallen into despair. He never asked me for anything again, except that first kiss, which he had heard would give him the talent he was owed by fate.
Only every other day do I change the water of his pond now so he does not lose his color. I also throw a fly his way now and then so that his precious tongue does not fall into disuse.

 

Hide and seek


While days pass by the edge of the sky
under the ever-turning sun
and the wind howling at the skylight

My throat out of breath
I send messages and I hurry
leaning against the wall before they find me
listening with my palm

every experience I missed
every opportunity I passed over

everything you wished was left unsaid
and, with sweat and fear,

Fingers crossed
Death's dice
Wouldn't weigh too heavily on my hands.


Double play


Feeling the code of your words
what do they mean?

raised marks
dots, dashes and spaces
throbbing veins
and twitching eyebrows

From the pale neck
To the chest that dared come out
The dual body that played
and got lost

Dust that flew
before it found
a shady corner for protection.


Debt

How big
a mistake
can be?
How cheap
an apology?

Must
shall forever be
a coward's
want.


To Horse Around
 

I accepted the bridle
to enjoy the rider
and gallop with him,
pretending
that he is in charge

So far
so good

But being reined in is as dull
as it is pointless to take over.

(Translation Nikiphoros Kontomichis-Afentoulidis)


Address: 

Tsocha 36 Athens 11521


Birth place:  Thessaloniki
E-mail:  annaafen@hotmail.com