The Wall and Beyond by Joanna Kurowska

Joanna Kurowska's newest collection of poems consists of works that were originally written in Polish and published in her native land.  The poems, as the title suggests, deal with the image of the wall, the obstacle.  When I asked her about this she said, "As the title suggests, my recurring motif is 'the wall.' It reflects the confrontation between dreams and reality; a sense of estrangement following my immigration to the US in 1988; finally, my struggle with the idea of God against the experience of religion and world’s theodicy.  Probing the wall’s nature, I come to realization that the wall is part of human nature. Ultimately, I strive to affirm life; to reach beyond the wall."

Here is one of the poems from this book.  

Joseph Conrad (for Don Marshall)

In a broken jar, the sea leaks through the cracks.
Sailors despair; nothing rocks them anymore.
The gristmill of time changes aquatic plants,
fish, prayers, and people, into yellow sand.

In a mirror, love watches its image—fright.
Their glances—a bridge stretching into the dark.
A rainbow of faces flicker in the glass;
one of them is yours but you don’t know which one.

The spirit hiding in life’s seashell is pain.
He is the god-figure that opens the door
and takes you to the earth’s heart and the hand’s palm
where long-forgotten sources flow over stones.

The following is a more recent poem which Ms. Kurowska wrote in English: 

Cupboards

I loved cupboards
—the little spaces in which
I arranged packages of tea
ceramic mugs, saucers,
and fine china

I loved the secrecy
and the mellow smell
of the woody interiors
superbly designed
yet subject to change

I thought they would
never let me down—
my small eternities;
but they too go away
one after another

For all the tea and fine china,
they refuse to contain me
When I open the little doors
I hear a silent good-bye
ringing in my thoughts

(both poems originially appeared in Apple Valley Review

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Joanna Kurowska has published poetry in Apple Valley Review, Bateau, Christianity and Literature, International Poetry Review, Oklahoma Review, Penwood Review, Room, Solo Novo, and elsewhere. Her poetry collection Inclusions is forthcoming from Červená Barva Press.  Previously, Joanna published two books of poetry in Poland (Ściana : The Wall, 1997; and Obok : Near, 1999). 

She holds a doctorate in literature from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2007) and her critical works appeared in Anglican Theological Review, The Conradian (forthcoming); Joseph Conrad Today, NewPages, Sarmatian Review, Slavic and East European Journal, and elsewhere. She has taught at American universities, including the University of Chicago and, most recently, Indiana University, Bloomington IN.

Here are some links to other poems she's written:

-Joanna's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JoannaKurowskapoetry?ref=hl

-Apple Valley Review, Fall 2011:  http://www.applevalleyreview.com/ 

-American Tanka (December 2010):  http://www.americantanka.com/december-2010-issue-18/joanna-kurowska/

-Write From Wrong (December 2010):  http://writefromwrong.com/2010/12/14/poetry-december/

-Strong Verse (October 2010):  http://www.strongverse.org

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Her book The Wall and Beyond is available from eLectio Publishing and Amazon.  (Click on the links to purchase)