APRILIA ZANK

 

 

Like A Phoenix

 

I rose

from the ash of my fires

wings armoured in gold  

purple plaster-wrought plumage

 

I had died a thousand deaths

gone through a thousand oblivions  

shuddered at the Gates 

but the seeds of my blood

burst and thrived in fresh soil

brain wove new paradigms

litanies turned to arrows 

 

I shall tread this path to the end

feed on cinnamon and myrrh

wear my beauteous rags

hidden behind this adamantine shell    

 

The Visitor

 

this house

so peaceful

with its wooden panels

polished by weathers

the heat of summer

winter frost

the ripeness of autumn

with grapes

hanging from the eaves

and pathways

chequered with quinces

and wall nuts

 

they had found bones

when they broke it down

to build it anew

bones of man –

stories went around

about a merchant

who came from afar

after completed trade

seeking for night shelter

on his way home

which he never reached

 

sometimes at night

watching the stars

so much closer here

than anywhere else

I hear a moan

a clink of steel

an owl call

a woman wailing

in the distance

of four generations

 

APRILIA ZANK

 

Dr. APRILIA ZANK is a lecturer in Creative Writing and Translation Theory from Germany. She is also a poet, a translator and editor of anthologies. She writes verse in English and German, and was awarded a prize at the “Vera Piller” Poetry Contest in Zurich. Her poetry collection, TERMINUS ARCADIA, was 2nd Place Winner at the Twowolvz Press Poetry Chapbook Contest 2013. BAREFOOT TO ARCADIA was translated in Telugu and published in India in 2018 as a bilingual book. Her Beat poetry collection READING THE SIGNS was launched in the USA in 2019. Aprilia has received wide recognition in both western and eastern countries for her merits and achievements and has been an acclaimed guest at cultural events in Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Turkey, Canada, India, Singapore and the U.S.A., where she read her poems, but also gave lectures on various topics. In 2018, she was awarded the title “Dr. Aprilia Zank – Germany Beat Poet Laureate – Lifetime”, by the National Beat Poetry Foundation (USA).