Sally Bliumis-Dunn

Berlin
September 26, 2016 Bliumis-Dunn Sally

Berlin

 

We see the public statues

 

water-stained and darker now.

 

Small bullet scars on buildings—

 

 

how can it be so quiet?

 

Though I keep almost hearing

 

someone close behind me,

 

 

the not quite footsteps,

 

voices traveling toward me,

 

and I am in a dog’s world

 

 

without the dog’s keen hearing.

 

I have only my sad psyche

 

where rounded cobblestones

 

 

appear like tops of shaven heads

 

and underneath,

 

the rest of their clothed bodies,

 

 

cramped into a crowd

 

mercilessly, still standing.

Sally Bliumis-Dunn teaches at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. In 2002, she was a finalist for the Nimrod/Hardman Pablo Neruda Prize. Her two books, Talking Underwater and Second Skin were published by Wind Publications in 2007 and 2010. Galapagos Poems was published by Kattywompus Press in 2016. Her third full-length collection, Echolocation, was published by Plume Editions/Madhat Press in March, 2018. Echolocation was a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Best Poetry Book for 2019 and long-listed for the Julie Suk Award.