|
|
![]() |
Essay by Astrida Stahnke |
Inta Miške Ezergailis was a professor of German literature at Cornell University and a contributing editor of Jaunā Gaita. She is the author of numerous learned articles and of the book Nostalgia and Beyond, a critically acclaimed review of women writers in 20'th century Latvian literature.
She died of cancer on January 1, 2005. Some of her poems, written in English, have now been published in Inta's Poems, volume I. In the forward to the book Andrievs Ezergailis writes: "Although poetry was a professional and personal preoccupation for all of her life, she turned her attention to writing verse only during her last ten years. The seventy-eight poems published in this volume represent less than a fourth of the poems she has left. Her total opus is yet to be ascertained for many of her poems exist only in longhand. It is planned in the future to publish more, if not all, of her poems."
You can get a copy of volume I by sending $10 to
INTA'S POETRY FUND
1157 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY, 14850
<ezergail@ithaca.edu>Inta Miške Ezergaile bija vācu filoloģijas profesore Cornell universitātē Ņujorkas štātā. Viņa darbojās Jaunās Gaitas redakcijā un ir sarakstījusi daudzus literatūrzinātniskus rakstus, recenzijas un esejas kā arī grāmatu Nostalgia and Beyond, par sievietēm rakstniecēm 20. g.s. latviešu literatūrā.
Viņa nomira ar vēzi 2005. gada 1. janvārī. Viņas dzejoļi angļu valodā, Inta's Poems pirmā daļa ir nule nākuši klajā. Andrievs Ezergailis grāmatas ievadā raksta, ka, lai gan ar dzeju kā mākslas formu Inta Ezergaile akadēmiski nodarbojusies visu mūžu, tomēr pati rakstījusi dzeju tikai pēdējos desmit sava mūža gados. Grāmatā Inta's Poems ir septiņdesmit astoņi dzejoļi, apmēram viena ceturtā daļa no visa, ko viņa pierakstījusi. Pārējos dzejoļus arī domājot publicēt, bet šo pirmo daļu var saņemt nosūtot $10 uz
INTA'S POETRY FUND
1157 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY, 14850
Dear Friends and Gentle People!
We wish you a belated Happy 2007!
Inta's Poems II was scheduled to appear at the beginning of 2006 but due to the publisher's many commitments it made it out only a year behind schedule. It turns out that there were more poems in longhand than I had originally estimated and consequently there still will be another volume of Inta's Poems that should be ready by the end of this summer. After the publication of the third volume there still will remain about 150 unpublished poems whose fate is still in abeyance. Evaluation of the poems is ongoing.
Inta's colleagues, relatives, and admirers of her poetry have been very generous in contributing to Inta's Poetry Fund which makes it possible to publish her poetry and distribute her books. We I still have sufficient funds to publish her next volume. I have been woefully remiss in acknowledging the many letters condolences and donations that many of you have sent to me since Inta's death. Your remembrance of Inta and concern for me and Anna is appreciated.
If among Inta's friends and associates there may be someone who would like to write a critical essay about her verse, we would consider its publication in the forthcoming volume.
Gratefully,
Inta's Poetry Fund
<ezergail@ithaca.edu>
Pie a la Moon
The moon had called her,
hiding in a yen for pie and ice cream.
He waited, quiet among his retinue
of five wispy clouds. Then
suddenly
it faced her, full,
bright, rich, complete.
Asking of her--completion?
brightness? The mere hard work
of attention? As
the vanilla ice cream melted
in its box.