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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meena Alexander

Meena Alexander was born in Allahabad, India in 1951. She was raised...
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Night Theater

by Meena Alexander

Snails circle
A shed where a child was born.

She bled into straw—
Who can write this?

Under Arcturus,
Rubble of light:

We have no words
For what is happening—

Still language endures
Celan said

As he stood in a torn
Green coat

Shivering a little,
In a night theater, in Bremen.

About this poem:

"I wrote this poem in summer within earshot of the sea. What Celan said about language in extremity has always haunted me. I was also thinking how we have no words for the act of giving birth. It was important to me that the poet’s coat should be green."

—Meena Alexander

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