Από την Τυνησία, η αγαπημένη συγγραφέας παιδικής λογοτεχνίας Imen Melliti
“I want to travel… i want to break the borders, poetry unites and establishes bridges between people of different background, culture and civilisation and reduce the gap between different ideas and beliefs…”
Do you remember writing your first words of poetry? When was it? Please tell us more about it. Writing the first words of poetry, was during a composition class, the teacher asked us to try writing a rythmic text, so i took my Pen and i started drawing what i feel at that time, i was writing delibrately with no conscioysness, i let my subconsciousness submerge, the teacher was admiring my Few lines, he deeply felt them, i can never forget his motivational words “keep writing you’re tallented”.
Did you have any early influences/inspirations? Yes, what is undeniable, is my arabic Background, and my oriental identity, as a matter of fact i was deeply influences by the great palestinien poet Mahmud darwish, the syrian extraordinary poet nizar kabani and the tunisian writer Mahmud El mesaadi without forgetting the algerian writer Albert camus ans his absurdity thoughts.
Does your background / heritage influence your writing? Please explain. Of course, my oriental and arabic roots where echoed in my writing, i wrote about woman’s strength, woman freedom, woman self_détermination, because woman in arabic communities still fight for their human rights and her freedom, equality and dignity as well.
What subjects mostly inspires you to write? Why? I was fond of poetry, phylosophy and drama, because those are the area of randam thoughts, i find myself free from equation and scientific frames, i infact had great tendency to think freely with no restrictions and express my inner soul with no limitation…
Do you remember your first ever published work? Where, what was it? When? Tell me how you felt seeing your words in print. My first published works were on newspaper, it was such a great pleasure and pride to see my writing on papers read by many people, my class mates bought the newspaper with my published text and asking questions, tomake sure that was mine, i started feeling as if i were a star in my school.
What publication are you most proud to have your work published in, why? One of the most significant writing was the one about gender issue, it was very revolutionary, i dare raising subjects about equality, freedom, which were not common in my communities.
Do you have a favourite genre of poetry?
Why? Tell me more about it. I enjoy haïkou poetry, because they derive from japaneese culture, they are short but very deep in meaning and very expressive.
What are your future plans as a writer/poet? I want to travel abroad to meet a different audience to read and present my books, i want to break the borders, poetry unites and establishes bridges between people of different background, culture and civilisation and reduce the gap between different ideas and beliefs.
What projects are you working on and why? I’m actually thinking of a humanitarian project for children, i want to set up an association so I can help them and provide to poor childrens a good education.
A phrase that you like and inspired you. It is Nice to be important, but it is more important to be Nice.
Thank you so much dear Imen Melliti for your time. Wish you all the best to your projects.
