Writer & Translator
2015 was a momentous year for me. I first started out as a published writer in the dinosaur-age known as 'the 1980s', and plodded along rather nicely for a decade or so after that. Then, things happened (as things seem to do in life), and for a long time I wasn't sure I would ever… Continue reading My 2015 in the rear-view mirror
I've been playing around with my poems, trying to present them visually online and this is my first attempt. The poems are 'Sparrow' and 'Peek' from my new book. 'Sparrow' is inspired by and dedicated to my daughter, and 'Peek' is inspired by and dedicated to my son. These two human beings are really the deepest inspiration… Continue reading Two poems, two heartbeats
Enter to win one of three copies of 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989-2015' at Goodreads! To celebrate the upcoming holidays, and the fact that I have a brand new book of poetry out (yay!), I am giving away three paperback copies of my new collection of poetry 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989-2015'. You can enter… Continue reading A giveaway – enter to win a copy of my new book!
Finally got my author copies of 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989-2015'! It's a great feeling to hold your own words in your hands! The book is available in paperback via Amazon and CreateSpace! All the links and details to the ebook edition and paperback edition are in my Shop.
You can read a brand new interview with me at poet and writer Ben Ditmars' website, talking about poetry, writing, and getting into fights with Shakespeare! Ben also reviewed 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 - 2015' recently, and gave it a 5-star review: needless to say, I'm thrilled and grateful for all his kind words.… Continue reading New interview & review at Ben Ditmars’ website
What is the Beautiful? by Kenneth Patchen The narrowing line. Walking on the burning ground. The ledges of stone. Owlfish wading near the horizon. Unrest in the outer districts. Pause. And begin again. Needles through the eye. Bodies cracked open like nuts. Must have a place. Dog has a place. Pause. And begin again. Tents… Continue reading “Pause. And begin again.”
My new collection of poetry, 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 - 2015' was released yesterday, and I'm still getting a buzz from that. It's so exciting to finally have this book live, and available to the world at large: you can find it in paperback at Amazon and CreateSpace, and in ebook format at Amazon,… Continue reading My new release & some writing news
My new collection of poetry 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 - 2015' is out today: it's available as an ebook and in paperback. (shop for it here.) This book has been a work in progress for some time, and I wasn't always sure I would publish it at all. It contains four different collections of poetry -… Continue reading Insides & outsides – introducing my new poetry collection ‘Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 – 2015’
My hands are shaking, like they always do after I submit my writing to "the real world". This time, it's because I just approved the proof for my new collection of poetry at CreateSpace, and the book is now available in paperback from CreateSpace's web-store. It should be available in paperback at Amazon in a… Continue reading ‘Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 – 2015’ is now available in paperback
AT HOME (A HORROR STORY) Is the child asleep? Yes, the child is asleep. Sleep, child! Tonight we’ll have fun, laugh! We will sing a lullaby to the child, we will heat blood and rub skin warm, too. Outside there is night and the large bellies of wild beasts and saliva dripping and no silent… Continue reading Poetry in translation – ‘At home (a horror story)’
It's amazing what you can find when you rummage through old newspaper clippings. Or rather: what your mom can find when she rummages through old newspaper clippings. Below is a scan of a writeup from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in April, 1989; all about an event at a theatre in Stockholm where my then-publisher Norstedts presented the works… Continue reading That time Stellan Skarsgård recited my poetry…
My new collection of poetry now has a release date: November 9th, 2015. It's available now for pre-order in ebook-format at Amazon's various outlets, and Smashwords. After having gone through the formatting meat-grinder at Smashwords, it is also available for pre-order at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple iBooks. 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 -… Continue reading ‘Cuts & Collected Poems 1989 – 2015’ is now available for pre-order!
Right now I'm in the final stages of formatting 'Cuts & Collected Poems 1989-2015' - my upcoming release - for Smashwords. If you've ever formatted something for Smashwords, you'll know that this can be a rather arduous process. I did manage it for ODIN'S EYE, so I'm hoping things will go relatively smoothly this time... but… Continue reading Coming soon – ‘Cuts & Collected Poems 1989-2015’
Words can carry such different weights in different languages. This is something I'm being forcefully reminded of these days, as I'm in the final stages of translating all of my published Swedish poetry into English, aiming for publication before the end of the year. One example of what gets lost: The Swedish word "himmel" means both "sky" and "heaven". This means… Continue reading Lost and found in translation: translator thoughts on poetry & the weight of words
In school Crouching on the threshold as the door closes. Rattling glass, downy feathers ruffled, shivering cold blue sky outside. Get up. Keep moving. Don't step on the cracks. And breathe, breathe, breathe in your own words, breathe out into your cold hands just a bit of warmth, then hands in pockets. Find some stillness… Continue reading Poem in progress: ‘In school’
Peek Are you afraid? I am. I can see your heart beat inside me. I can see your life flicker on the screen. But I don’t know how it ends. Do you already know this place, this bed, this room, this light? Do you already know who you are, who I am, who to be?… Continue reading Poetry in progress – ‘Peek’
Dragon I said fire but I couldn’t even feel the flame crawling across my skin – thin and blue – barely breathing no heat, no charred skin, no blistered fingertips no pain. Won’t touch don’t touch not with the words or hands not even to look at. I said there is no fire and watched… Continue reading New poetry in progress – ‘Dragon’
Water I am the surface in between - mirrored sky rippled depth only a reflection - cupped in the palm of my hand. And under, underneath, underneath me are the mute and the blind the unseen and the unsaid, the white teeth bared, pale dreams glistening unsheathed, the taste of blood on the knife’s edge… Continue reading Poem in progress: Water
In the forest The woods are quiet: So am I, pulling streaks of cloud through my crooked fingers. But I can feel it, feel it in marrow and gristle, I can feel leaves and bark, sticks and stones, root and sap. I can hear creaking wood, squirrel paws, and the wind breathing through my ribs:… Continue reading New poem in progress: ‘In The Forest’
PAIN IN PROGRESS/MY FRIEND IS DEAD All the lamps are lit in every window. I feel the warmth beneath my own hands feel the flicker inside my own room. What lights the lamps? What makes a fire where there was only wick and oil and a breath of wind? I don’t know. But all the… Continue reading Poem, or pain in progress
Maria Haskins 