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Southern Sun, Aegean Light—The poetry of second-generation Greek-Australian poets

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a radio feature produced by Michael Shirrefs

 

What does it mean to be a second generation Greek-Australian? How clear is your sense of identity and of belonging?Against the backdrop of Greece’s rich history of language and ideas, there’s been a great modern tradition of writing from across the Greek diaspora. This was especially so amongst the first generation of Greek migrants who took their birthright of poetry and prose with them to new lands, and especially to Australia. They used words to articulate their connectedness and their remoteness. There was a certain melancholy assurance of who they were and where they’d come from.

But for the second generation there is none of that visceral sense of belonging. Memories are received, culture is inherited, but all of it is second-hand.

Southern Sun, Aegean Light is a diverse collection of poems from second generation Greek-Australians. They are full of the poignancy of longing for an identity and a sense of place, but the range of works shows that the term ‘Greek-Australian’ fails to describe the disparate nature of the second generation experience.

Listen to the program here …

EarshotSouthern Sun, Aegean Light—The poetry of second-generation Greek-Australian poets
Guests

Efi Hatzimanolis—Writer and poet

Dr Nick Trakakis—Philosopher and poet

Helen Nickas—Publisher and specialist in Greek-Australian poetry

Peter Lyssiotis—Artist and poet

 

Publication

Southern Sun, Aegean Light
Edited by Nick Trakakis
Published by Arcadia (an imprint of Australian Scholarly Publishing), 2011
ISBN 978-1-9218751-2-0

 

Credits

Producer—Michael Shirrefs

Sound Engineer—Garry Havrillay

Readers—Elle Mandalis & Steve Mouzakis

 

List of poems

The Sea Urchin by Efi Hatzimanolis

Inheritance by Nick Trakakis

Prayer At Midnight by Nicholas Kyriacos

Widows Of The Sun by Chrisoula Simos

The Bird In The Belltower by Peter Lyssiotis

32 Davis St, East Burwood by Peter Lyssiotis

Peloponnese Sunset by Angela Costi

The Man Who Knew To Smile by Nicholas Kyriacos

I Hate, Hate by Luka Haralampou

Sparing Lives by Phillip Constan

Pencil by Tom Petsinis

Mind by Salome Argyropoulos

The Lucky Country by George Athanasiou

 

 

© 2015—Michael Shirrefs & ABC RN

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