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LOLA KOUNDAKJIAN RELEASES BOOK OF POEMS
By Helene Pilibosian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/05/12/lola-koundakjian-releases-book-of-poems/
Thu, May 12 2011
The Accidental Observer, a book of poems in three languages--Armenian,
Spanish, and English--has recently been published in New York by Lola
Koundakjian, the director of the Armenian Poetry Project. Noted as a
stylist in poetry, Koundakjian's interest in presenting Armenian poets
writing in any language anywhere in the world has become legend. The
book is sponsored by the NoMAA Regrant Program, made possible by the
JPMorgan Chase Foundation and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone
Development Corporation.
Twenty-seven poems, each in the three languages, complete this volume
which, with the inclusion of the Armenian language alone, endears
itself to the Armenian reader.
The subjects of the poems concern the Armenian soul in its everyday
interpretations of living, whether in Armenia, Europe, or in America.
She expresses that duality of feeling in a lovely poem entitled "Fall":
I take the subway to go to...
...that other life.
But how can I live in both places?
These few words suffice to take readers to that subjective area. The
poems make their points briefly for lovely personal moments to
be shared and remembered. One notices the affection for friends and
family in jewel-like lines that indicate so much more than what their
words say. One of these charmers is entitled "Manifesto," and reads:
Father wanted me to be a great musician I became a music lover.
My aunt is a ballerina I didn't become a dancer But I love Love for
the sake of love.
My brother is a multi-linguist And I love languages Mother is an
intelligent woman So I try to be wise But I love Art like my own
breath.
The poem is particularly poignant for those who love art and love
poetry for what it can communicate about art and family. The concept
of family here seems to be equated with the concept of art. Loving
family is indeed kind of art. The reader must understand that these
poems are in the tradition of modern poetry, where what is meant is not
stated but indicated in an indirect manner. The lines, being so few,
tend to draw the reader's attention and emotion to the experience of
the poem more than the more direct and drawn out statements of a more
traditional approach to verse.
Thus this very short tribute to Hrant Dink, killed in Turkey for
writing about the Armenian Genocide, is very powerful and says it
all without saying much:
I wore white I wore white at Hrant Dink's memorial Because love is
everlasting Hope is immemorial And thoughts reverberate eternally
Some food imagery graces these pages. Those of us who are Armenian,
or who appreciate Armenian food, can easily identify with sentiments
such as these:
Cookbooks with recipes of curry, hamam meshwi, Grandmother's lentil
soup and Mum's mujjadarah, As I meander through them, I smile at my
Present, knowing that it and the Future have a solid Past.
Twenty-seven poems, each in the three languages, complete this volume
which, with the inclusion of the Armenian language alone, endears
itself to the Armenian reader. It is available for $12 on Amazon.
Helene Pilibosian is the author and publisher of My Literary Profile:
A Memoir and several volumes of her poetry.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Helene Pilibosian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/05/12/lola-koundakjian-releases-book-of-poems/
Thu, May 12 2011
The Accidental Observer, a book of poems in three languages--Armenian,
Spanish, and English--has recently been published in New York by Lola
Koundakjian, the director of the Armenian Poetry Project. Noted as a
stylist in poetry, Koundakjian's interest in presenting Armenian poets
writing in any language anywhere in the world has become legend. The
book is sponsored by the NoMAA Regrant Program, made possible by the
JPMorgan Chase Foundation and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone
Development Corporation.
Twenty-seven poems, each in the three languages, complete this volume
which, with the inclusion of the Armenian language alone, endears
itself to the Armenian reader.
The subjects of the poems concern the Armenian soul in its everyday
interpretations of living, whether in Armenia, Europe, or in America.
She expresses that duality of feeling in a lovely poem entitled "Fall":
I take the subway to go to...
...that other life.
But how can I live in both places?
These few words suffice to take readers to that subjective area. The
poems make their points briefly for lovely personal moments to
be shared and remembered. One notices the affection for friends and
family in jewel-like lines that indicate so much more than what their
words say. One of these charmers is entitled "Manifesto," and reads:
Father wanted me to be a great musician I became a music lover.
My aunt is a ballerina I didn't become a dancer But I love Love for
the sake of love.
My brother is a multi-linguist And I love languages Mother is an
intelligent woman So I try to be wise But I love Art like my own
breath.
The poem is particularly poignant for those who love art and love
poetry for what it can communicate about art and family. The concept
of family here seems to be equated with the concept of art. Loving
family is indeed kind of art. The reader must understand that these
poems are in the tradition of modern poetry, where what is meant is not
stated but indicated in an indirect manner. The lines, being so few,
tend to draw the reader's attention and emotion to the experience of
the poem more than the more direct and drawn out statements of a more
traditional approach to verse.
Thus this very short tribute to Hrant Dink, killed in Turkey for
writing about the Armenian Genocide, is very powerful and says it
all without saying much:
I wore white I wore white at Hrant Dink's memorial Because love is
everlasting Hope is immemorial And thoughts reverberate eternally
Some food imagery graces these pages. Those of us who are Armenian,
or who appreciate Armenian food, can easily identify with sentiments
such as these:
Cookbooks with recipes of curry, hamam meshwi, Grandmother's lentil
soup and Mum's mujjadarah, As I meander through them, I smile at my
Present, knowing that it and the Future have a solid Past.
Twenty-seven poems, each in the three languages, complete this volume
which, with the inclusion of the Armenian language alone, endears
itself to the Armenian reader. It is available for $12 on Amazon.
Helene Pilibosian is the author and publisher of My Literary Profile:
A Memoir and several volumes of her poetry.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress