Two New Poems
Welcome to my website. Poetry, fiction, art, and a blog about my work, and other thoughts and doings. I’ve been a poet for over thirty years – or since I was a child. I published ‘Minefield’ my first poetry collection in 1977 as you can find from the bibliography link.
Another link takes you to my short stories and my novel. There’s a link to my second space, my art work: handmade prints, paintings and more. My blogs are about my work, but also they’re about politics, religion, ideas, books, walks, other artists and writers… not quite the universe and everything, but hopefully a weekly/monthly writer-artist’s diary. And I’d love to hear from you. Finally, links to other sites I hope you’ll find both helpful and surprising.
Below are two new poems. The first is called 'Child In Gaza'. My blog has more on this 'operation'. The second, 'Stephen's Day', is a turning year meditation about the (mysterious and thankfully) lost mediaeval tradition of hunting songbirds, robin, or wren, on St Stephen's day, early January. It seems to me that's the middle of the four weeks after the solstice when we poise in darkness furthest from the sun, before the light starts to creep back at the day's edge.
Child In Gaza
after Wm Blake
I was a little child
born in Gaza ruins.
My name was Palestinian
and my heart was strong.
On the Israeli green
the little children played,
I asked to share the play
but they sent back fire.
Why did they send white fire
which melted away my flesh?
They said it was the gift
my jealousy deserved.
Why did they burn me so?
In white bandages I die
in a hospital like a ruin.
Tell me, you who know.
1.31.09
Stephen's Day
Now comes a warhorse,
white muzzled,
saddled with crimes,
my robin’s a’flying
my robin’s the dark one
Hallooed, hunted
on the day of Stephen,
died in the winter hail,
quiver to arrow
my robin’s the dark one
arrow to breast,
blood’s wound.
move earth, come sun
light armoured
my robin’s the dark one.
Both poems: copyright Judith Kazantzis, January 2009
2007 CHOLMONDELEY AWARD
FOR POETIC ACHIEVEMENT
What's New
Above: Taking part in Lewes STOP GAZA BLOODSHED. Read about Judith's newest work, thoughts and ideas, at her blog, Judikaz
Just After Midnight is named for the hour when my mother died. My latest poetry book, its last section remembers her and my extraordinary father. But first I range from the USA, both lyric and satire, to poems of Sussex, Italy, Palestine, love, satire and memory that grew through many a night into wave paths of image.