(Graffiti spotted next to Place Fernand Coq, Brussels)

Newspaper articles and blogs often compare life in Malta to life on the continent. 'Here' or 'there' (depending on where you're standing), politics is done differently, travel is easier and cheaper, 'mentalities' aren't the same. The word 'liberty' as opposed to 'libertarian' comes to mind, although these two concepts often converge, overlap or become confused. Recently 'Europe' was once again described as "marida moralment u spiritwalment" (morally and spiritually sick) by the top Church authorities in the land of honey. I often wonder what they have in mind exactly when they diagnose this sickness. Ok, you've got the usual evils trotted out to prove the point - divorce, cohabitation, abortion and homosexual relationships. But what about the less obvious stuff like erotic literature? One would imagine that this would tally with this blueprint of "l-ghadu ta’ zmienna" (the enemy of our time) which takes on the form of "l-ideat, l-imgibiet, l-istili ta’ hajja li jwarrbu apposta lil Alla fil-genb" (ideas, behaviour and lifestyles which intentionally banish God to the sidelines)? And now for the real question: has Malta created enough erotic literature to fill a small collection which could be published? I doubt there's that much material. I can think of Albert Marshall's phallically illustrated Diaspora, some Victor Fenech and Maria Grech Ganado poems and that's it. In Immanuel Mifsud's literature, sex is associated with a traumatic experience (and I think he was intentionally making a point here). I stand to be corrected, of course. But if I'm right, examining why there isn't any frank, confident and guilt-free erotica in Malta might reveal more than we expect about the nation.