Here I am – your sister Earth.
I shine bright in my green coat.
My depths, mysterious and black
are the home of blinding diamonds
which when brought to the surface
swallow the light, for they are the reflection
as well as the carrier of visions.
People collect them, to add
brightness and light to themselves, lacking in their souls.
My miraculous waters are the home
for hidden kingdoms unheard of
and when the time comes, they transform themselves
into a cleansing bath, from which
there is no salvation nor recall.
My inner fire never dies away,
only on the surface, it cools off and from the lava
it forms slowly and surely
layers of firmness and nutrients and a seat
for so many fantastic species
of animals and plants,
a sight for sore eyes
a sight for sore eyes
Only man in his foolishness
fights me instead of honoring me
and bitterly loses.
I am patient and tolerate the aberrations
of this intrusive brat a long time without grumbling.
Just like he doesn’t, I don’t ask him
when I charge into battle
against his wanton civilization.
For I am the mistress over the life
and death of my children.
I am the Earth. I am yours.
About the Author:
Bronislava Volková is a bilingual poet, semiotician, translator, collagist, essayist and Professor Emerita of Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. She is a member of Czech and American PEN Club. She went into exile in 1974 аnd taught at several universities in Germany and the US. She led the Czech program of IU for thirty years and authored eleven books of poetry in Czech, a number of bilingual Czech-English editions, two books on linguistic and literary semiotics (Emotive Signs in Language and A Feminist’s Semiotic Odyssey through Czech Literature), as well as a large anthology of Czech poetry translations Up The Devil’s Back (with Clarice Cloutier). Her own poetry has been translated into twelve languages and widely reviewed. She has received a number of literary and cultural awards. She has been invited to international poetry festivals in Bulgaria, Ukraine Romania, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic and Colombia. Her work was repeatedly published in various countries, e.g. Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Czech Republic, the US, India and the United Arab Emirates. She has also periodically done large exhibits of her collage work. Books of selected poems have appeared in English, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, German and Spanish edition is currently in preparation. She is also preparing a study on Forms of Exile in Jewish Literature and Thought (20th Century Central Europe and movement to America). More info at www.bronislavavolkova.com
