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