...

.. Women looked at me from old pictures,
Holding small children on destroyed city
One was going trough snow,
White uniform, matching endless white land
Only her face you can see,
She was ... Hero of our country.
Snow flakes on the eye lashes,
Wisdom, hope and strength in eyes.
I thought, she wouldn't cry,
Wouldn't hide or run to her father.
She faced what she had to face...
And I felt they are in some way with me.
I thought of my grandmother, great grandmother,
Who were living at that time.
First my poems I wrote for them,
First time in English.
I had something written in my native language,
Never published and almost forgotten by me.
Many years ago back home
After listening every day
From my aunts, father's patients and neighborhood boys:
You have to write a book.
I went to publishing agency.
Office, one big room with boxes and papers everywhere.
Three well dressed men sitting at the long desk,
Staring at me, may be because I was dressed in mini skirt and was wearing high hills.
Each of them had a copy of all my poems.
They looked at me, the one in the middle:
Okay, read.
And I am reading about love..
They are following me,
Then the middle one starting to laugh.
What is this,
Movie, couch, dinner,
Chicken soup,  I have doubts if it even cooked.
What is it, cook book?
Love story here, shy kiss,
Who's husband he is? Her? A baby..
No, no, this is crazy,
Do you think someone going to read it?
I mean nice words, but no drama, no sex,
Go, rewrite everything.
I am leaving the building.
In few steps some one is calling my name.
The youngest publisher.
I thought for a second he wants to marry me..
Listen, he says, can I borrow your poems...
He planned to end his life that night.
In five minutes I convinced him how great life is,
He said he would have a look
And I was calling him non stop asking if he is feeling better.
He didn't, I was stressed myself.
My mom looked one time, on Saturday:
Give me his phone,
Don't worry, I will fix his problems in five minutes.
For a week I didn't hear from him.
Then he sowed up at my office work:
Listen, do you want to live in Canada,
I think I can help you. .