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Two Poems by Lidia Kosk

For a few months, my mother, the poet Lidia Kosk, stayed with us in Catonsville. I had the privilege of sharing the spotlight for her recently published bilingual poetry book Niedosyt/Reshapings, for which I did the English translations. As part of a local “book tour,” we gave five readings that included, in Baltimore, the Poe Room at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at the Inner Harbor, and the Polish National Alliance Home in Fells Point; in Westminster, McDaniel College; and, in Washington, the Polish Embassy. We greatly enjoyed reading together, Mom in Polish, I in English. The audiences were wonderfully enthusiastic and appreciative, and there were many lovely book discussions. Each reading was special, but the last one, in Fells Point, was particularly touching. An accomplished pop singer and a pianist accompanied our reading so that the mood was set for each group of poems by a perfectly matched musical piece. That reading left us singing.

I AM…

I am a wandering tree

I am on a continuous journey
begun with the leaves of
faith, love, and hope

Their deep-reaching veins
map out the flow of my blood
my thoughts, and my feelings

I am on a ceaseless quest
not to be limited to a trunk

MONTE CASSINO

I stand among the crosses
in the rays of Italian sun
whitening the tombstones
and reflecting off the white.

Time has not stopped here.
Green trees and bushes climb
all around, up to the monastery
on the summit. Rebuilt,

back here. And they are
here. Here they lie.
The ones who have opened
the path for new life.

For them life was envisioned in one word,
Poland, the name of the country
taken from them.
I see more pilgrims arrive. From Poland.

They take the burial grounds
as their birthright.
For the dead: flowers and memories.
For the living: the discovery

that such cemeteries
are on life’s path.
And a still photograph
at the gravesite.

• Back to Found in Translation

Poets read from Niedosyt/Reshapings in Warsaw, Poland.

niedosyt/reshapings by Lidia Kosk selected and translated by Danuta E. Kosk-Kosicka Exquisite! Grace wrapped in the strength of a life well lived, and survived, in the historic era of 20th century Europe. “To live I need, like air, human kindness, peace, color and fragrance of the world.” Written and presented in Polish by Lidia, all works have been selected and translated into English by her equally talented daughter, Danuta. Rarely in the poetic world today do you see a mother-daughter pairing so brilliantly complimentary. This is a timeless treasure to be savored, for it still speaks to and of us all. “We walked a long valley. We stumbled over stones coming down the slopes. Sometimes stars fell on us.” Christina D. Collins-Smith Director, One Tree Productions OneTree Productions-OneTree, Many Branches of Expression Back to Found in Translation

Rosemary Klein

Danuta Kosk-Kosicka & David Kriebel

Kathleen Corcoran

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