628 I cry along with Natalia

You know of my fondness for beautiful poetry, for Russians and for women writers (see my blogroll). So here is Natalia Zaretsky, a New Yorker, a Russian immigrant (1980), a former Physics teacher, and now a poet in her retirement--and she has published not only in e-zines, but in paper! See if this doesn't touch you.

FROM A LONG LIST

In Central Park along the lake,
I used to speed like that girl with the earphones,
and my T-shirt was tight on my waist.
Now the geletin of age slows my life.

I used to walk along Jerusalem streets,
laugh under the waterfall in Ein Gedi,
breathe in the aroma of Galilee orange groves.
Now my feet are laden with lung illness.

My father, tall, strong, used to visit me
from the city every weekend, not knowing
a word of English -- and never get lost.
Now he stays home -- Alzheimer's
acids away his Russian words.

I see my talented daughter on stage,
the audience in one breath with
every staccato, every trill.
I fancy her daughter on my knees,
trying not to squeeze her too tight,
afraid my heart will stop.
I cry -- I don't have a granddaughter.
[published in the e-zine, Moonwort Review #8]

Her first book of poetry entitled AUTUMN SOLSTICE has been published by Windsong Publishing Co., CA. Her manuscript MEMORIES BELOW THE BRIDGE will be published by the same publisher by the end of 2004. She is working on a manuscript on her Jewish identity, anti-Semitism in Russia, and her love for Israel, which she has visited several times.


Natalia 

Welcome, Natalia, to my blogroll.