'Privileged' and 'unprivileged' Maltese poets

In his short review of the Ghaqda Poeti Maltin's magazine Versi, Mr Alfred Palma (The Sunday Times, April 24) was very unfair to write that "Patrick Sammut then discusses the theme of faith in Maltese poetry (treating once again the usual handful of privileged poets)".

What he did not write was that the theme of faith I discussed was in relation to the Maltese Advanced/ Intermediate poetry textbook Il-Poezija Maltija, edited by Professor Oliver Friggieri.

In this case my choice of poets and poems was very limited in the sense that Mr Palma was one of those "unprivileged" poets who happened not to have treated faith in the few poems contained in the aforementioned textbook.

Mr Palma should know that I regard myself as one of those very few who happen to spend time reading local poetry, buying local poetry publications and giving space even to "unprivileged poets" in my writings.

Mr Palma and many others (at the expense of others who were not included because of space limitations) was included in my recent publication Tieqa fuq kittieba Maltin (2003). He should know that he was included in two of my articles or studies which were published in two local newspapers very recently, one regarding the theme of love in poetry, the other regarding Maltese and translation.

I thus think that such sweeping statements could undermine the voluntary activity conducted by people like me regarding local literature and literary organisations.