Celebrating the powerful voices of Maltese women and highlighting the historical struggle for “freedom of a woman’s essence.”
“Poetry as Insurgent Art”, as American poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti liked to say -this is also the title of one of his poetry books. Poetry – and art – as an act of resistance could also describe “The Feminine Voice of Malta (il-Leħen Femminili ta’ Malta)‘, an anthology just published by IHRAM – International Human Rights Art Movement in New York.
Il-Leħen Femminili ta’ Malta captures the raw and poignant experi- ences of Maltese women throughout history, published in the midst of a crucial, cultural turning point. This collection unveils the subtle and overt acts of discrimination, the societal expectations tethered by tradition, religion, and politics, and the profound strength of women who refuse to be silenced. At the same time, however, every poem, short story, translation, piece of art – every leħen (voice in Maltese) – is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Maltese women who refuse to be silenced.
The voices featured in “The Feminine Voice of Malta” include that of Elizabeth Grech, poet, translator, Communications and International Relations manager of Mana Chuma Teatro.
Translated from the Maltese by Irene Mangion, her poem ‘Musbieħ il-Lejl / Firefly’ is an act against verbal and physical violence, but also an exaltation of every woman’s spirit that, despite everything, cannot be extinguished.
“…my broken body
Rises again
On a long stretch
Of cotton-white cloud”.
About IHRAM
The International Human Rights Art Movement was founded out of artist-activist Tom Block’s passion to use creativity to spur positive social change.
https://humanrightsartmovement.org/
