I first heard Dunya Mikhail talk about her poetry in
an NPR
story. That same day, I bought her collection of poems called The War Works Hard, and my National
Poetry Month offering for today is the title poem from that book.
Looking back at the stuff I’ve shared this month,
five of the poems (six, as of today) are associated with war. (I’m counting “Ulysses”, because—while
not about a specific war—it’s in the voice of a crafty old soldier.) That tells
you something about me.
I study war, and I take a broad approach to the
subject, trying to get an understanding through more than just which battalion
was on what hill. Literary works, paintings, photographs, music—that’s how
humans apprehend phenomena that are the size of war.
Mikhail is a master poet. Whether she’s writing
about a cobbler, a bag of bones or exile, she encompasses huge emotions in a
minimum of words. Every one of those words packs tremendous power. Look for
yourself.
The
War Works Hard
How
magnificent the war is!
How
eager and efficient!
Early
in the morning it wakes up the sirens
and
dispatches ambulances to various places
swings
corpses through the air
rolls
stretchers to the wounded
summons
rain from the eyes of mothers
digs
into the earth
dislodging
many things from under the ruins...
Some
are lifeless and glistening
others
are pale and still throbbing...
It
produces the most questions
in
the minds of children
entertains
the gods
by
shooting fireworks and missiles
into
the sky
sows
mines in the fields
and
reaps punctures and blisters
urges
families to emigrate
stands
beside the clergymen
as
they curse the devil
(poor
devil, he remains
with
one hand in the searing fire)...
The
war continues working, day and night.
It
inspires tyrants
to
deliver long speeches
awards
medals to generals
and
themes to poets
it
contributes to the industry
of
artificial limbs
provides
food for flies
adds
pages to the history books
achieves
equality
between
killer and killed
teaches
lovers to write letters
accustoms
young women to waiting
fills
the newspapers
with
articles and pictures
builds
new houses
for
the orphans
invigorates the coffin makers
gives
grave diggers a pat on the back
and
paints a smile on the leader's face.
It
works with unparalleled diligence!
Yet
no one gives it
a
word of praise.
Hear Mikhail read some of her poems
here. You’ll be doing yourself a mitzvah.
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