The pandemic has made my world smaller -
   no travelling,
    no concerts,
     no museums,
      no churches,
        not even shopping...

My perceptions have shrunk...

   2020 was a terrible year...
And the Year of the Rat, which waved its tail at the end
  so that I did not take my eyes off the Book of Prayers for 3 weeks...

But don't you say "it was terrible"
  for the Lord can always show you something
    even worse.

Say - it's all right. Say - it's all to the Glory of the Allmighty.
  And then God may answer:
"You don't know what "good" really is.
   I will show you".

Please, do, dear God!


However, every cloud has a silver lining -
 I began learning French,  
     ventured to translate Shakespeare... at last...
       started doing my morning excercises,
         which I haven't done for ages.


The expression "for ages" is a figurative exaggeration.
  I try to watch my language,
    to say only the truth,
     not even to exaggerate things for the fugure of speech.


Since my world is my flat now
  I'm reading 20th century Women's Poetry
   edited by Fleur Edcock
     and published in 1987.


33 years ago...
  It does not seem that long ago...
   That was a great time for me
    when I regained my happiness
     after the divorce,
      started a new life 
        full of interesting work,
          travelling
           and creativity.



It's dificult to think about my life 
  as something, whose lion's share 
    is in the past...
 For I'm the same.
   And if I'm changed, it's only a little.



Most of the autors of this book
  are no longer now.


But I'm still here
  and can translate some of them,
   have done so already -
     those whose poems are in tune
       with the melodies of my heart...



Jan 29, 2021