Enemies Project: British Polish Poetic Cooperation....
I met Amy Cutler though Steven Fowler's “Enemies/Wrogowie” project (see also the video reportage on the main pages of the Blog on WW), which involved Polish and British authors meeting up, talking, discussing themes and works that are of interest, and then create something together. As life gets very busy in London, Amy and I met only a few weeks before the actual public reading event was supposed to happen. It was scary: neither of us had a clear idea of what to write and how to do it.
Writers and poets are lonely people, they do their work in the solitude of their own imaginations, letting in others only as the characters of their imaginary worlds. I decided to bring to the meeting only one poem and one book: Odwaga by Anna Świrszczyńska and Talking to My Body (Anna Swir, it is a friendly version of Świrszczyńska’s surname).
Amy brought her collection of poems Nostalgia Forest.
Nature and the Body. Women and the Body. Nostalgia and Women…
During our meeting, we talked passionately about women’s writing, Świrszczyńska, language, the body, pregnancy, abortions and miscarriages, love and social roles: one of those conversation you do not usually have: chaotic outbursts on themes that envelop, fascinate, outrage. We decided to write a poetic dialogue about Polish poets, sex, stereotypes, freedoms…
Later that night, I found a few links on the gender debate in Poland, as well as on what it means “to be a mother” (advice from medical sites and different support groups).
We started to have fun and created the following poetic dialogue….
1. Ula's poem:
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2. Amy's poem:
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3. Ula
Poetry meeting I don’t write poetry I forgot how to write or make or think or do it how to poetry? I have written dissertations, essays, reviews, columns, short stories, stories, bibliographical notes, chapters, biographical sketches, evaluation forms, reference letters, sections, introductions and epilogues All the poems I have written or I will write line by line word by word syllable by syllable morpheme by morpheme and letter by letter full lexical utterances ought to be forgotten aimless, objectiveless, with no outcomes, no project standards, no proper dissemination strategies, no readable style, no acknowledgements unable to be included in reports and summaries, applications, research presentations, personal and departmental appraisals I don’t write poetry It does not fit my job description. |
4. Amy
płeć do not make fun of the child in the bottle I am a mother and I don’t want to be a mother singing the calisthenics of my body with the other things, animals, and women they are strangers, you don’t know their languages in contrast to cow’s milk or familiar lactose I will not be the slave of any bottle we always feed manner to that child from our two marvellous warehouses it’s never too early to think about how you’re going to start feeding your enemy unknown inertia of breast and the empty-handed man will be night pain arm yourself, animal strongest in the first hour after birth with its adjustable unrepeatable sucking value |
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5. Ula
Dialogue with Amy (on gender, patriarchy and a male goose) gender has invaded poland dżender not gender foreign in forms and sound polish family is in danger danger with gender gender as danger gender of gander and gander are also adult male geese. did you know this? there is no time to joke here polish mothers are withdrawing toddlers from all the nurseries where dangerous gender has been mentioned. one has to save the nation. gender is an enemy it is clear to me nicely round, properly accentuated, with a scary “ge” as all the enemies: genocides, Jesuit, gestures, gibberish, generous, genesis, german, gentleman, jealousy, genitals, geographically-spread gentries do you want more of these? don’t be a fool don’t believe in dżender rule is a rule clear like ten commandments there are mothers and hunters in this world nothing in-between: gay, lesbian or queer nothing of this sort and now…. ………… sadly glancing now at my bookshelves don-quixote-ing all above is above so crazy? is it so unique? After all patriarchy – those adult male geese are all one big clique (January/February 2014) the poem plays with Polish/English phonetics, hence dangerous "ge" (pronounce in Polish like "the" (in ghetto). Also, "Polish" phonetic reading of gender (gender) plays with the world "gander" here. This is how the poor bird ended up here |
... and a scary links and materials that inspired us...
Gender monster in Poland · About the Gender Trouble in Poland January 2014 · Gender Trouble continue... How to be a good mother? Polish Foundation “The Milk of the Mother” · Cieszymy się, że trafiłaś na naszą stronę. · Czas poświęcony na karmienie piersią jest najlepszym prezentem, jaki możesz podarować swojemu maluchowi. · Żyjemy w czasach, kiedy odpowiedź na to pytanie nie jest oczywista. · Nawet świadomość, że jesteśmy ssakami, nie zawsze jest dla nas naturalną podpowiedzią, w jaki sposób karmić swoje dziecko. · mleko mamy ma unikalny skład i jest dopasowane do każdego dziecka indywidualnie · w czasie karmienia piersią buduje się bliską i niepowtarzalną relację ze swoim dzieckiem NHS choices: Why breastfeed? It’s never too early to start thinking about how you're going to feed your baby. Today, most women in England are choosing to breastfeed. • Breast milk is the only natural food designed for your baby. • Breastfeeding protects your baby from infections and diseases. • Breast milk provides health benefits for your baby. • Breastfeeding provides health benefits for mum. • It’s free. • It’s available whenever and wherever your baby needs a feed. • It’s the right temperature. • It can build a strong physical and emotional bond between mother and baby. It can give you a great sense of achievement. |
