Wendy Barker‘s sixth collection of poems, One Blackbird at a Time (BkMk Press, 2015), received the John Ciardi Prize. Her fifth chapbook, Shimmer, was released from Glass Lyre Press in 2019. Among her other books are a selection of poems with accompanying essays, Poems’ Progress (Absey & Co., 2002), and a selection of co-translations, Rabindranath Tagore: Final Poems (Braziller, 2001). Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including The Best American Poetry 2013. Recipient of NEA and Rockefeller fellowships, she holds the Pearl LeWinn Endowed Chair and is a Poet-in-Residence at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Poetry
Spring 2001
Sickbed 5
From the Bengali. November 4, 1940 Under this vast universe pain's mill wheel rotates, grinds planets and stars to powder. Sparks flash, scatter suffering on every side, ash-webs from annihilated […]
Poetry
Spring 2001
Sickbed 7
From the Bengali. November 12, 1940 (Night) Deep night-interior, beneath my clouded sight, when I see your wakened presence, the sky's uncounted planet-suns in limitless time greet my mortality. After, […]
Poetry
Spring 2001
Recovery 30
From the Bengali. February 16, 1941 (Afternoon) Dusk drops down slowly—bindings loosed one by one from the work-nets of hours. Day casts the west's opening portal into gold-luminous darkness, meeting […]
Poetry
Spring 2001
Birthday 8
From the Bengali. May 6, 1940 Ripping the breast off my birthday today, news of the death, leave-taking of a friend, has arrived. My own fire-grief burns— enkindles. On evening's […]
Poetry
Spring 2001
Last Poems 2
From the Bengali. May 7, 1940 Death-eclipse lowering shadows cannot devour life's sacred nectar into the clutches of matter. This I know for certain. No thugs live in earth's caves, […]
Poetry
Spring 2001
Last Poems 4
From the Bengali. March 26, 1941 Sun-heat drones this afternoon alone. A glance at the empty chair— there is no comfort in its breast full of words of despair, weeping. […]