Magical Polish American Poets

Designed as a continuation of last year's Poetry Salon devoted to the Beat Generation, the Salon "Magic Polish identity - poetry of Polish Americans" introduces the audience to a wider circle of poetry of Polish Americans.

Among the poets presented will be Michael Basinski, Phil Boiarski, Stuart Dybek, John Guzlowski, Leonard Kress, Linda Nemec Foster, Karen Kovacik, John Minczeski, Elisabeth Murawski, Mark Pawlak, Thad Rutkowski, Laura Ulewicz and Cecilia Woloch. 

The poems will  be read by Magdalena Cielecka and Jan Nowicki.

The event will take place on Nov. 17, noon.  

Here is a poem by one of the poets who will be presented at the Poetry Salon

Linda Nemec Foster

The Countries That Claim Me

I am from America and Poland.

I wonder how I came to have hazel eyes:

flecks of earth, sky, and sea in my gaze.

I hear the low pitch of the moon

as it swings above the roof.

I see crows, their blue-black emblem of regret:

I want to touch that regrret, to kiss it.

I pretend to be a cloud, a shadow,

a fragment of some distant past.

I feel lucky and American, Polish and cursed.

I touch the old and the new – mother, daughter.

I worry about really not knowing either.

I cry because my son will never dance

the mazurka, polonaise, oberek.

I am from America and Poland.

I understand English – nothing more.

I say it is not enough, not enough.

I dream in a foreign language thick

with the sound of dark trees.

I try to translate the words of each leaf.

I hope the wind will carry my response.

I am from America and Poland.

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More information is available at the Teatr Polski's website: 

Just click here.