making the invisible transparent

Hi Everyone,

My book of poetry "making the invisible transparent" is now available from The University of Queensland Bookshop, The State Library of Queensland's Library Shop, Folio Books Bookshop, Novel Lines Bookshop (153 LaTrobe Tce, Paddington).


Reviews


The former comfort of a God graced eternity is denied by a claustrophobic modernity - Niemira claims English as 'her new friend' yet a Slavic shamanism inhabits her language - gnomic phrases quiver as at the verge of transforming, if not the world itself, then the shadow it casts on our nerves.


Jeffrey Harpeng

“making the invisible transparent” is an exciting and surprising first book that confronts us with horror and beauty as the world does.

                             i hear the silence of blue amazement
                             the thoughtful scream of air
                             among hunger slavery and war

Agnieszka Niemira’s poetic voice draws at times on an idiom which will be unfamiliar to many readers; one that refreshes poetry in English.
    
                             Polish is like an old lady who knows how to live

                             dangerously and beautifully

And she does so in this collection. The variety of forms is impressive, including haiku, short aphoristic pieces, longer more experimental or abstract work and vivid vignettes that will be instantly recognizable.

                             When you are not with me

                             I miss you
                             When you are with me

                             I miss myself

The poems spark off each other as well, creating a journey from cover to cover that should not be missed.

Duncan Richardson  

    

The title is an exact representation of the content – of the life glimpsed through mystery. An unknowable understanding of life’s meaning is made known through Niemira’s poems. I say through, because she does not kill her images, fixing them with pins of logic so they may be classified only in dead glory. Rather she uncages her butterflies so the reader catches their meanings from the corner of the poetic eye, knowing the form of the transparent, but not the substance. At least that is how it seems. But when a critical gaze is applied we realise that it is exactly the form of seeming nothingness that brings meaning to life. One has seen through the paradox to know the unknowable:

                                  the sun calls me softly
                                  but words hold me

                                                i have written burning frost
                                                they have printed beautiful frost

                                                i still write

Niemira’s images realign the mind, the true stuff of poetry inhabits her work.

Mark Svendsen

invitation

Sunday 29 June 2008

Ahimsa House is proud to support a new local poetry group in West End - The Kurilpa Poets. They meet on the last Sunday of every month at Ahimsa House, 26 Horan Street, West End, Brisbane. Everyone is welcome. New poets please join in!

Next performance date is Sunday 29th June 2008. Time: 2:00-4:30 pm. Our feature poet for June is Agnieszka Niemira, who will be reading from her upcoming poetry book, "making the invisible transparent".


Bring your poetry, your friends, and join in the excitement!