We’ve got a cover for Maureen E. Doallas’s upcoming poetry collection, Neruda’s Memoirs.
And here’s an excerpt of the title poem (Neruda’s Memoirs 🙂 ) …
2
Neruda said the closest thing to poetry
is a loaf of bread
or a ceramic dish
or a piece of wood lovingly carved.
So he poured his words
into the glass of another language
only some of the world speaks.
He gave light to the mines of Coquimbo.
Now they glitter like dew on a silver fish.
He left the smell of fresh ink and crisp paper
at the broker’s, who traded his wife’s voice
for a rainbow of lightning.
He melted the snow on broad-sided mountains
to water the dust on Santiago’s tongue.
He found the blue of Chile’s sky
in the bellies of volcanoes, its silence
in a guitar in Spain.
Neruda’s the rush of roots
after a sudden breath
the warm tear on a face in love
the sound of adolescence missing a beat.
Looking forward to the rest. Sometime in early February.
L.L. Barkat
Latest posts by L.L. Barkat (see all)
- Watch Out: Poetry Can Hijack the Heart - October 24, 2019
- Stairs & Ascensions: Lighthouse in New Jersey - September 30, 2019
- Between Friends: Two Writers Try Out the Friendship Project (And Get a Few Surprises) - August 8, 2019
Maureen Doallas says
You surprised me getting this up before I could get the FaceBook fan page up.
Thank you!
L. L. Barkat says
So many things. They’ll all get done. 🙂
Maureen Doallas says
The FB page is live now.
Sam Van Eman says
Congratulations, Maureen.
Monica Sharman says
Beautiful and wonderful! [jumping wildly]
Maureen, I’m excited!
laura says
So beautiful! It’s perfect Laura and Maureen! It just sings.
I cannot wait.
Megan Willome says
Pardon my ignorance, but I didn’t realize Neruda was Chilean. Now I HAVE to read your book. My parents met in Chile. Their first kiss was on a beach in Quintero.
Maureen Doallas says
Just want to thank everyone – Sam, Monica, Laura, Megan, and everyone else, especiallly LL and Marcus – for the wonderful support.
And Laura, I think you don’t live so far from me that we can’t arrange a meet-up this spring.
Randall Tipton says
Thanks Maureen for this association with your work, that is such a fine poem!
Randall