My Autobiographical Statement: as written for the Who is Who in Poetry 2005

 

 

I chose the poem ‘Butterflies’ to represent me because it encapsulates the essence of my life, like the words ‘rebirth’ and ‘breakthrough’ do… When I first saw this painting by Dali, instantly several milestone-moments of my life came back to me, among which: the moment communism was abolished through our dictator’s (Ceusescu) death penalty at the price of the bloody Romanian revolution (which coincides with the birth of my second boy – my ‘lucky star’ – a symbol for rebirth, just like this poem is); My struggle as a woman scientist in a world ruled by male dominance; My metamorphosis into a mentor for women and promoter of feminine values in the male-dominated engineering community...

 

Since I was hijacked straight into my core when I first saw one of his paintings (‘Woman with Head of Roses’) which triggered instantly as well the birth of one of my most powerful poems ‘On the Horizon of My Happiness’ – awarded an Editor’s choice by the International Society of Poets) I recognized Dali as my Soulmate. Since then I realized that every of his paintings holds a key to opening long captive feelings hidden in the dark corners of my soul, which came to life through poetic expression illuminated by Dali’s muse. Life moments and emotions long buried under the denial shield are resurrected when I contemplate his paintings. And as I wrote many  poems since, at various times, exalted by his divine inspiration, last year – on the occasion of his Centennial celebration, I opened a link on my website, with an Anthology Dali, in which each poem mirrors the emotions triggered in me by one of his paintings. This was the seal to a life-long commitment to write a poem for each of his paintings. A self-healing gesture and a present to the soul of the world. So, come back and visit me from time to time (just search on Google: Mihaela Ulieru Anthology Dali – to become part of our soulmateship).

 

 

 

 

Mihaela Ulieru                                                                          May 3, 2005

                                                                                                            Calgary