Kalyna Temertey-Canta, ITALY

Exclusive: Best of Women Poetry: Edited by Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

A SOUL-LIBERATION

Watch as I dance, listen as I sing, I have a story

to tell of a woman from within

To a proud mother born, daughter of inhibition,

inherited from lifetimes of subjugation

Spellbound spirit in human form,

a stifled-self in seek of liberation

A beautiful object

for contemplation?

…

Waters of courage like vapour rise,

an impetuous cloud overtakes the skies–

falls one drop at a time, straightening

the curve of a furled spine

Rush

the final release,

rain washes all corners

Peace

…

Neck rises high

from a collarbone, a parted mouth

gives way to a groan,

                

she gives birth to her gleaming Soul

Against a black forest the

heron takes flight, from darkness

emerges her blinding light

Often held captive, beauty is not so rare.

Kalyna Temertey-Canta (. Kaly) was born in Canada and completed her formal studies at the Sheridan School for Craft and Design. Her poetry has been published in various Journals and anthologies, including the California Poetry Society Quarterly, Amravati Poetic Prism Multilingual Anthology and The Current International Anthology of English poems. Her major themes are, understanding oneself through the natural world, life as a metaphysical journey, and aspects of being a woman. A mother of three children, she lives a quiet life in the Italian countryside.  She loves to travel and has participated in several international poetry festivals.

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Best of Women Poetry -2020 :: Setu, March 2020

Kalyna Temertey-Canta, CANADA / ITALY

*BUONASERA, MOIRA ESTETICA, SONO MARTINA…

Next to the slick poster beauty
is Martina, pallid and sweet
She can tear a bit of body hair
with one clean sweep

To her clients she asks,
where do you vacation at the sea?
I respond sheepishly
knowing she is not likely
to sunbathe any time soon

a mist of social disparity
hangs heavy in the small room

Of education we speak
she did not appreciate high-school
nor the teacher who did not attend
but two days a week

I ramble on about homeschooling,
unschooling, Montessori.…

as Martina’s shoulders and smile
begin to sag
and her mood
fall

To myself, I inquire
who makes her more uncomfortable,
I or the virtual woman on the wall?

(title translation: *Good evening, Moira’s Beauty Salon, Martina speaking…)


*MA BELLE-MERE
(Une Créatrice d’Ambiance Familiale)

A woman that is not plain
but appreciated with time,
like a complex and rare
Corsican wine

amber cat-eyes just right,
for taming a husband
with one glance

sings nursery rhymes
with ease, invents tales that
make her grandchildren
laugh, dream 
and plead
for more

She can make a mean and exotically
green tarte appear, from fine fingertips,
that after each meal bring a tasse a café
to her lips

devours books like biscuits
(but to the later prefers pizza)

knows the rumba and I suspect,
many other steps,
as I have seen her hips flex
and fingers snap discreetly

Raised in North Africa
she trails clouds of mystery.
Her mother used to say,
she has venom
in her belly.

(Title translation:  *My Mother-in-Law [A Creator of Family Ambiance])


DON’T MESS WITH THE WOMAN IN THE KITCHEN

The Chef wields a knife
that shines along with her smile
she will win you over with her focaccia rolls
swaddle you in cushiony softness and bake at one-eighty

your heart will melt along with taleggio
left golden and crisp

with passion and persistence
she has learned to slice across sinew
and chop through bone!

she will douse your spirit in oil
and sauté your soul
if you dare
harass her.

Kalyna Temertey-Canta (Kaly) was born in Canada and studied Ceramics at the Sheridan School of the Craft and Design. Her poetry has been published in various Journals and Anthologies and she has been invited to read at several poetry festivals. She lives a quiet life in the Italian countryside with her husband and three children. 

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019