Once upon a time, someone introduced me to this magnificent poet: Joyce Mansour. Her poetry is real, raw. The darkness of her imaginary can sometimes be heavy to receive. Here are some of her words.

Do you still remember the sweet smell of plantain trees ?

How strange familiar things can be after the parting

How sad the food

How dull the bed

And the cats

Do you remember the cats with their

Strident claws?

Howling on the roof as your tongue

searched me

Arching their backs as your nails peeled

me

They trembled as I yielded

I no longer know how to love

The painful bubbles of delirium have

vanished from my lips

I have given up my leafy mask

A rose bush suffers under the bed

I no longer move my hip on the stones

The cats have left the roof