ALTADENA, Calif. — Famous diasporan poet Jacque S. Hagopian’s lyric novel, In Love with Liloush, was presented to the public on Sunday, February 19, at Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Beshgeturian Center. It was organized by the Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Los Angeles Chapter.
Hagopian is not a stranger to the Tekeyan family. Last year his book about Vahan Tekeyan, In Search of God, was presented by three TCA Chapters; Los Angeles, New York and Montreal.
An audience of more than 120 arrived to hear Hagopian speak. Opening remarks were made by Lora Kuyumjian, who described the program and then invited everyone to get acquainted with each other and partake in wine and light snacks.
The first presenter was Prof. Osheen Keshishian, publisher/editor of the Armenian Observer and a member of TCA’s Central Board of Directors. His task was to introduce the author and dwell upon his vast accomplishments as a poet, over a period of 70-some years.
Hagopian was born in Jerusalem in 1917. In 1919, the Hagopians moved to Cairo, Egypt, where he studied to be a pharmacist and met his wife, Azadouhi. They married in 1947 and had four children. In 1952, the Hagopians move to Sydney, Australia and in 1967, settled in Pasadena, Calif. This is truly the plight of any Armenian living in the diaspora.
Hagopian published his first book in 1938, and has henceforth written more than 50 books. The central theme of his poems, noted Keshishian, is love. Love of God, love of family, love of Homeland and finally love of mankind. The presenter then moved on to describe the author’s personal characteristics. Fear of God, love for Armenia, sincerity and truthfulness are some of the traits that distinguish Jacque Hagopian, concluded Keshishian.
