Polish American Writers

“But this language of yours,” said one of the instructors, himself an obvious Britisher, “where does it come from?”  … “From the mouth of Polish mothers,” I replied.

—William Carlos Williams, The Autobiography, p. 311

 

Welcome!

Today, wild parakeets awoke
confused to find themselves chattering
in a strange patois.

Today, even the ants are tourists,
and the iguana, camouflaged as a mirror,
has forgotten his true reflection.

The goats must be sorry
they've eaten their passports
because today, like us, they're no longer

sure of who they are or what they're
doing here, otherwise, why else
would goats be swimming out to sea?

 

             - Excerpt from Today, Tonight by Stuart Dybek