Here I Am – Your Sister Earth by Bronislava Volková A Collage by Bronislava Volková 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 Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Published by fragmentedvoices A small, independent press based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, and Prague, the Czech Republic View all posts by fragmentedvoices