Angelos Sofocleous
- Cyprus -
My name is Angelos Sofocleous and I was born and raised in Cyprus, where I also currently reside. I hold a PhD in Philosophy from the University of York, as well as an MA in Philosophy and a BA in Philosophy & Psychology from the University of Durham. My doctoral research was focused on analysing experiences of depression as described by individuals who have been through depression. I am currently working remotely as a Tutor in Philosophy for various online teaching platforms as well as for the University of York’s Centre for Lifelong Learning. I have published two poetry collections, in Greek: On Life and Death (Περί ζωής και θανάτου, 2013, Armida Publications) and Disquiet (Ανησυχία, 2017, Pigi Publications). I have also participated in numerous poetry anthologies such as “At the First Step” (2016) by Ideogramma, “Anthology of young Cypriot poets” (2019) by Vakhikon Publications, and Two Hundred Years of Cypriot Poetry 1821-2021 (2021) by Literature & Criticism Association.
Giorgos Frangos, currently the President of the Cyprus Journalists Union, commenting on the “Anthology of young Cypriot poets” published in 2019 by Vakhikon Publications, said: Angelos Sofocleous is distinguished by a sociological and sociopolitical inclination. He observes people in modern social becoming. At the same time, he is characterised by a satirical approach to existential issues.
Becoming a poet is a ‘calling’ from poetry - it’s a realisation that one’s thoughts and whatever is in their inner self and soul can be expressed through poetry. Grabbing the pen for the first time and attempting to write a poem is not a completely conscious thought. It emerges as a need, identical to the need to eat, drink, or sleep. As such, writing a poem is something that is done almost instinctively - as if it’s a matter of life or death. If the need to express oneself in writing comes but the individual fails to transfer their thoughts from their mind to the paper, then the individual risks facing severe consequences such as anxiety, as they feel they need to speak but cannot. Writing poetry was a ‘calling’ from poetry. There was never a specific event in my life that encouraged me to eat, drink, sleep, and, in the same manner, there was never a specific event in my life that encouraged me to write poetry.
Once I feel the ‘calling’ from poetry or the need to write, I try to get some pen and paper as soon as possible. From then on, it is necessary that I fully commit to my task and concentrate on transferring the original ideas in my mind into words on paper. I try to eliminate any distractions and be fully devoted to writing. I don’t mind background noise or being in a busy or crowded area, but I just need to make sure that I will not be interrupted while I write.
In regard to structuring or editing those initial words - it is a never-ending process. No matter how many times I try to structure or edit my poems, there will always be something that I feel needs to change. This is because poetry, for everyone, reflects who they are, and if who we are changes over time, this will also reflect on our poems. There comes a moment, however, at which the poet needs to say “enough” and stop re-editing and restructuring their poem.
If I could describe poetry in a single word, it would be ‘adventure’. Poetry is an adventurous exercise.
Think for a moment what a real-life adventure might be. An adventure could be going on a hike and walking for many kilometres into nature, discovering trees and plants you hadn’t seen before, looking at the world from another point of view, and having the opportunity to gaze at one’s country or city from a high altitude.
Or an adventure could be walking around an unknown town late at night, getting lost, and trying to find your way to your hotel, while encountering dangerous people on the way.
Poetry is an adventure in quite the same way. By starting to write a poem, you begin an adventure that you don’t know where it will lead. It might be an adventure in which you write non-stop, with passion, and with full engagement in what you are writing, knowing that at each moment you succeed in ‘translating’ your thoughts onto the paper. Or it might be a painful adventure in which one is lost in their thoughts, is unable to write clearly, writes and deletes continuously, and cannot see how to continue writing the poem or its end.
In any case, as with real-life adventures, writing is cathartic, and one will, at the end of the adventure, emerge stronger and with more life lessons compared to the start of it.
In general, what makes someone a poet is not that they write poems - not even that they write good poems. What makes a poet, and subsequently what makes a poet stand out in a crowd of poets, is, beyond their ability to write good poetry, them living as poets. Living as a poet goes beyond writing good poetry. The latter is a prerequisite for someone to be able to call themselves a poet, but it is not enough. Living as a poet means having the ability, at each and every moment, to turn an experience into a poem - to think about how one can translate what they are experiencing at every moment into a poem.
A poet who stands out is passionate about poetry, they are crazy about poetry. They read poetry and try to assimilate the writing style of the poet they are reading, but also find their own voice along the way. They recite poetry during the day - while going to work, while going for a walk, while waiting in line at the bank to be served. They connect experiences of their everyday lives with poems they have read, and their life experiences always find a way onto the paper.
Writing poetry is easy. The challenge is becoming a poet.
Poetry
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I, God / Εγώ, ο Θεός
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Heraclitian sky / Ηρακλείτειος ουρανός
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Earthly wormholes / Γήινες σκουληκότρυπες
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The death of History / Ιστορίας θάνατος
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In the land of nostalgia / Στης νοσταλγίας τη χώρα
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Star traveller / Αστροταξιδευτής
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Speaker of hearts / Καρδιών ομιλητής