1 Poem by Maja Trochimczyk

After the Crossing


Imagine Lethe, the river of forgetfulness

just behind you. Its foamy waves,

curling in darkness. You made it.

You did not forget. The Great White

Desert let you pass. It sighed heavily, unwilling.


You are here. Standing under the canopy

of stars in liquid amber sky. Your toes

sink into the carpet of evening grass,

the luxury of ermine smoothness.


You are sheltered by monumental trees,

weighing the ages with cosmic precision.

They remind you of the beak of the toucan,

its multi-colored feathers shining in the mist.


The path’s unveiled — birds led you

all the way. You made it. You are here.

You remember. The verdant softness

beckons you to lie down, watch

the rainbow flight of the toucans,

the unfurling wings of dawn’s

bright swans.


I’m glad you came. I’m glad we made it.

We are here. We did not forget.
                 /published in Maja Trochimczyk "Into Light: Poems and Incantations" (Moonrise Press 2016)


Bionote

MAJA TROCHIMCZYK, Ph.D., is a Polish American poet, music historian, photographer, and author of seven books on music, most recently Górecki in Context: Essays on Music (2017) and Frédéric Chopin: A Research and Information Guide (2015).  Trochimczyk’s eight poetry volumes include three anthologies, Chopin with Cherries (2010), Meditations on Divine Names (2011), and Grateful Conversations (2018) as well as Rose Always, Miriam’s Iris, Into Light, and two prize-winning books based on Polish experiences of WWII: Slicing the Bread (2014) and The Rainy Bread (2016). A former Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga, she is the founder of Moonrise Press, Board Secretary of the Polish American Historical Association, President of Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club, and Senior Director of Planning and Development at Phoenix House California. Hundreds of her poems, articles and book chapters appeared in English, Polish, and other languages. She read papers at over 80 international conferences and received many awards from Polish, Canadian, and American institutions, such as the American Council of Learned Societies, Polish Ministry of Culture, PAHA, McGill University, and the University of Southern California. trochimczyk.net