Cretan Canadian Poet, Author, Translator, Publisher
Author: vequinox
BIOGRAPHY
Manolis (Emmanuel Aligizakis) is a Greek-Canadian poet and author. He was recently appointed an honorary instructor and fellow of the International Arts Academy, and awarded a Master’s for the Arts in Literature. He is recognized for his ability to convey images and thoughts in a rich and evocative way that tugs at something deep within the reader. Born in the village of Kolibari on the island of Crete in 1947, he moved with his family at a young age to Thessaloniki and then to Athens, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Sciences from the Panteion University of Athens. After graduation, he served in the armed forces for two years and emigrated to Vancouver in 1973, where he worked as an iron worker, train labourer, taxi driver, and stock broker, and studied English Literature at Simon Fraser University. He has written three novels and numerous collections of poetry, which are steadily being released as published works. His articles, poems and short stories in both Greek and English have appeared in various magazines and newspapers in Canada, United States, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Australia, and Greece. His poetry has been translated into Spanish, Romanian, Swedish, German, Hungarian languages and has been published in book form or in magazines in various countries. He now lives in White Rock, where he spends his time writing, gardening, traveling, and heading Libros Libertad, an unorthodox and independent publishing company which he founded in 2006 with the mission of publishing literary books. His translation book “George Seferis-Collected Poems” was shortlisted for the Greek National Literary Awards the highest literary recognition of Greece.
Distinguished Awards
Winner of the Dr. Asha Bhargava Memorial Award, Writers International Network Canada, 2014
“George Seferis-Collected Poems” translated by Manolis, shortlisted for the Greek National Literary Awards, translation category.
1st International Poetry Prize for his translation of “George Seferis-Collected Poems”, 2013
Master of the Arts in Literature, International Arts Academy, 2013
1st Prize for poetry, 7th Volos poetry Competition, 2012
Honorary instructor and fellow, International Arts Academy, 2012
2nd Prize for short story, Interartia festival, 2012
2nd Prize for Poetry, Interartia Festival, 2012
2nd Prize for poetry, Interartia Festival, 2011
3rd prize for short stories, Interartia Festival, 2011
Books by Manolis
Autumn Leaves, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2014
Übermensch/Υπεράνθρωπος, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2013
Mythography, paintings and poetry, Libros Libertad, 2012
Nostos and Algos, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2012
Vortex, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2011
The Circle, novel, Libros Libertad, 2011
Vernal Equinox, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
Opera Bufa, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2010
Vespers, poetry by Manolis paintings by Ken Kirkby, Libros Libertad, 2010
Triptych, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2010
Nuances, poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2009
Rendition, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
Impulses, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2009
Troglodytes, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2008
Petros Spathis, novel, Libros Libertad, 2008
El Greco, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2007
Path of Thorns, poetry, Libros Libertad, 2006
Footprints in Sandstone, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2006
The Orphans - an Anthology, poetry, Authorhouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2005
Translations by Manolis
Idolaters, a novel by Joanna Frangia, Libros Libertad, 2014
Tasos Livaditis-Selected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2014
Yannis Ritsos-Selected Poems, Ekstasis Editions, 2013
Cloe and Alexandra-Selected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2013
George Seferis-Collected Poems, Libros Libertad, 2012
Yannis Ritsos-Poems, Libros Libertad, 2010
Constantine P. Cafavy - Poems, Libros Libertad, 2008
Cavafy-Selected Poems, Ekstasis Editions, 2011
Books in other languages
Eszmelet, (Hungarian), poetry by Manolis Aligizakis, translated into Hungarian by Karoly Csiby, AB-ART, Bratislava, Slovakia, 2014
Hierodoules, (Greek), poetry, Sexpirikon, Salonica, Greece, 2014
Yperanthropos,(Greek), poetry, ENEKEN Publications, Salonica, Greece, 2014
Übermensch (German), poetry by Manolis Aligizakis, translated into German by Eniko Thiele Csekei, WINDROSE, Austria, 2014
Nostos si Algos, (Romanian) poetry by Manolis Aligizakis, translated into Romanian by Lucia Gorea, DELLART, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2013
Tolmires Anatasis, (Greek) poetry, GAVRIILIDIS EDITIONS, Athens, Greece, 2013
Filloroes, (Greek ) poetry, ENEKEN PUBLICATIONS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2013
Earini Isimeria, (Greek) poetry, ENEKEN PUBLICATIONS, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011
Stratis o Roukounas, (Greek) novel, MAVRIDIS EDITIONS, Athens, Greece, 1981
Magazines
Canadian Fiction Magazine—Victoria, BC
Pacific Rim Review of Books—Victoria, BC
Canadian Poetry Review—Victoria, BC
Monday Poem, Leaf Press-Lantzville, BC
The Broadkill Review, Milton, Delaware
Ekeken, Thessaloniki, Greece
Envolimon, Beotia, Greece
Annual Literary Review, Athens, Greece
Stigmes, Crete, Greece
Apodimi Krites, Crete, Greece
Patris, Crete, Greece
Nyxta-Mera, Chania, Greece
Wallflowers, Thessaloniki, Greece
Diasporic Literature Spot, Melbourne, Australia
Black Sheep Dances, California, USA
Diasporic Literature Magazine, Melbourne, Australia
Spotlight on the Arts, Surrey, BC
Barnwood, International Poetry Magazine, Seattle, USA
Unrorean, University of Maine, Farmington, Maine, USA
Vakhikon, Athens, Greece
Paremvasi, Kozani, Greece
Szoros Ko, Bratislava, Slovakia
Mediterranean Poetry, Sweden
Apostaktirio, Athens, Greece
Life and Art, Athens, Greece
Logos and Images, Athens, Greece
Contemporary Writers and Thinkers, Athens, Greece
Palinodiae, Athens, Greece
Royal City Poet’s Anthology, 2013, New Westminster, BC, Canada
To parathyro, Paris, France
Ragazine C.C, New Jersey
Artenistas, Athens Greece
Deucalion the Thessalos, Greece.
Literary Lectern, Athens, Greece
Homo Universalis, Athens Greece
Puzzled, Ken walked away and as he wound his way past the stalls he noticed the silence that fell when he approached. No one smiled at him; no one nodded or called out a cheerful “good morning.” People avoided looking at him and stepped deliberately out of his way. Ken left the market with an ache in his throat. The next day he went back and still no one would talk to him. He went to the market for a third day and was again chilled by the rejection he met. But that day as he turned to go, he heard one woman say, “You’re the anti-Christ – go!” At home he asked his father, “What is the anti-Christ?” “That’s the devil,” he answered. “Why do you want to know?” He explained the scene at the market and what the woman had said to him. “That’s very interesting,” Ken Sr. said, his lips drawing tight across his teeth and turning the colour of ash. Ken Sr. picked up the telephone. “Don’t leave the house,” he said. “I want you to stay here.” A short while later the same priest who had visited the house before came to the door. “Something very interesting and potentially important has just taken place,” Ken Sr. said. “The other day you called my son’s behaviour anti-Christian. For the last three or four days he has gone to the market where he likes to make drawings. People have shunned him and he was called …” he turned to Ken. “Say the words.” “The anti-Christ,” Ken said. Ken Sr. leaned back in his chair. “There seems to be a link between your words, ‘anti-Christian’ and their words, ‘the anti-Christ.’ Was that their interpretation or was there someone, perhaps you, who actually said those words? This is how they now feel and whether you realize it or not, you have made me the second most important man in history – I’m the father of the devil is what you’re telling me. I expect it’s you who started this. If you ever refer to my son or any member of my family again, I will truly make you wish you had never been born. Get out of my house and don’t ever come near it again.” The priest listened in stony silence and left, wrapping his black cassock tightly around him.
SNOW AND THE EYES OF THE WOLVES Don’t be afraid of winter and wolves in this forest. Winter is a transparent ivory egg, and wolves are older dogs. Don’t be afraid anyone! We go together among the wolves, through the winter we have to, as all that I promised you is over there. Sometimes avalanches can occur, you’ve heard about it, but do not let fear rule over you, if it happens, it will happen. Give me your hand, the hill is still far away and high, the trees are my friends, we go by night, too I talk to pines as if talking to my father, there is an old crucifix on the bank if we pass by it – done, and there we are. Don’t be afraid of darkness, my dear the snow and the eyes of the wolves lead us.
Post Single post, two arms slicing light into topmost and shadowy pleats prodding the mind with wish for auspicious breezes or an eloquent verse describing grace of evergreen limb outlining mischief of intent lost feathers blown by wind and misfortune lustre absentia’s ideal mind connecting to eternity in a post and its rails just two arms holding emptiness
In spite of her heavy heart, Tyne grinned. Dr. Dunston could lift her spirits simply by being present. “If you hadn’t been away fishing, or whatever you were doing, you’d know that I got back to work two months ago.” It was the doctor’s turn to grin. “Yeah, I guess.” He slapped her lightly on the back as he walked by to pick up a patient’s chart. “How’s it going, girl? How’s married life?” Tyne smiled openly now. “It’s great. With a husband as wonderful as Morley, how could it be otherwise?” She sobered suddenly and indicated the chart he was holding. “I wish it was as great for your patient.” Grant Dunston tapped the cover of the book-like chart. “Yeah … Lydia. What kind of night did she have?” For a moment Tyne forgot her distress over Barry in her concern for Lydia Conrad and her children. “Not good, I’m afraid. It’s not only her surgery she’s concerned about, but she’s worried sick about the children.” Grant Dunston shrugged, but Tyne knew he wasn’t unconcerned. “Yeah, I know. If it wasn’t for that useless husband of hers ….” “Dr. Dunston, what can be done for them? I mean, even while Lydia’s convalescing they’ll need care – more than she can give – and obviously she can’t depend on Corky.” Tyne closed a chart and pushed it back into its slot. She turned to face the doctor. “Isn’t there anyone who can take them in for a while? It would help Lydia’s recovery, too, if she knew they were being cared for.” She realized that Dr. Dunston had been staring at her for several moments with a quizzical look. “What ..?” she began, but stopped when his puckish features broke into a grin. “How about you, Tyne?” Her mouth fell open. “Me? Are you serious?” “Sure, why not? You’ve got all that land for them to run around, and all those animals to amuse them, and all those good homegrown vegetables. They’d love it.”