MAGDA
Marionettes carved from wood.
Chimney sweeper.
A girl, Magda—
Nut trees and pines.
Carpathian Mountains.
Blueberry picking in August.
In the days of tallow candles,
walls hung with hand-loomed tapestries.
Flat weave kilim rugs.
My mother’s childhood house:
one low window, attic rooms.
Red mud of the Maros River,
Grandmother Mariska picks wild sorrel.
She works as a cook. Arad, 1928.
After school, Magda is alone in the house.
stepfather says: “I’ll kill you if you tell anyone!”
A girl, Magda—
dressed in Sunday best,
her coat is all buttons,
embroidered white blouse.
White leggings. Black shoes.
Polio fever at age four,
affected below the knee.
Magda, poem previously published in Canadian Women’s Studies Reader, Vol 28, No 1 (2010)
Photo Credit
Courtesy of Ilona Martonfi, Public Domain
Guest Author Bio
Ilona Martonfi
Ilona Martonfi A first book of poems, Blue Poppy, was published with Coracle Press in 2009. A second collection, Black Grass, (Broken Rules Press) published 2012. Poems have appeared in Vallum, Accenti, The Fiddlehead, Serai, and various other magazines. Poet, editor, teacher. Founder and producer/host of The Yellow Door and Visual Arts Centre Poetry and Prose Readings, co-founder of Lovers and Others. I won the QWF 2010 Community Award.
Blog / Website: Ilona Martonfi https://profiles.google.com/
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