Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało" />
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Literature, PoetryOctober 28, 2014

Motif

Artwork by Abigail Larson

Artwork by Abigail Larson

motyw

Chłopiec siedzi na piasku
i wymiotuje glonami.
Ściągnięty kapokiem brzuszek,
kaftanik nabrzmiały od łez.
I nagle przypomina mi się on
i ty: motyw z widokówki:
biały dom i czarny klucz mew.
Włosy pachnące cukrem.
Twój płaszcz uderza mnie w dłonie,
kiedy chcę coś pokazać.
Chowasz twarz w szaliku
nagle bardzo zajęty.
Meduzy fosforyzują cicho.

~ Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało

motif

A boy crouches on the sand,
sick with seaweed.
His tummy cramped by the life jacket,
the small vest swollen with tears.
And suddenly I remember him,
you too: a postcard motif:
white house, black key of seagulls.
The hair smells of sugar.
Your coat smacks me on my hands
whenever I want to point out something.
You hide your face behind your scarf,
strangely preoccupied.
Jellyfish glow quietly.

~ trans. Elżbieta Wójcik-Leese

Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało (b.1979) is an award-winning poet with six volumes to her name; she also writes novels, journalism and books for children. She is also known for her performance readings and her promotion of women’s writing in Poland.

Elżbieta Wójcik-Leese’s translations of contemporary Polish poetry appear regularly in journals and anthologies. Her books include: ‘Nothing More’, a selection from Krystyna Miłobędzka (2013); ‘Salt Monody’, versions of Marzanna Kielar (2006); ‘Cognitive Poetic Readings in Elizabeth Bishop: Portrait of a Mind Thinking’ (2010). She has co-edited ‘Carnivorous Boy Carnivorous Bird: Poetry from Poland’ (2004) and co-written ‘Metropoetica. Poetry and Urban Space: Women Writing Cities’ (2013).

Tags

Abigail LarsonAgnieszka Wolny-HamkaloElżbieta Wójcik-LeesePoem of the WeekpoetryPolishtranslations

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One last love letter...

April 24, 2021

It has taken us some time and patience to come to this decision. TMS would not have seen the success that it did without our readers and the tireless team that ran the magazine for the better part of eight years.

But… all good things must come to an end, especially when we look at the ever-expanding art and literary landscape in Pakistan, the country of the magazine’s birth.

We are amazed and proud of what the next generation of creators are working with, the themes they are featuring, and their inclusivity in the diversity of voices they are publishing. When TMS began, this was the world we envisioned…

Though the magazine has closed and our submissions shuttered, this website will remain open for the foreseeable future as an archive of the great work we published and the astounding collection of diverse voices we were privileged to feature.

If, however, someone is interested in picking up the baton, please email Maryam Piracha, the editor, at maryamp@themissingslate.com.

Farewell, fam! It’s been quite a ride.

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