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Dawn Roe's avatar

That last line: "Here, I learn

to unwrite the rules

that unwrote me"

What a beautiful use of the English language that continues to open your soul to totality of who you are.

Beautiful, Jay.

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Sunbeamdream's avatar

Such beautiful words. Amazing poem, and I feel the delicious softness you found through the English language contrasting the harsh syllables of your native tongue. I don't have any experience with German, but your poem resonates.

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Sunbeamdream, thank you. I had hoped to somehow convey the difference between the German and English language in an English language poem talking over the German language. From your words I take it, I was successful. Thank you for having mirrored that back to me. I appreciate you reading and commenting very much.

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Lady Libertea's avatar

Leibe Jay,

Deine heutigen Worte klangen wie ein Glockenschlag durch die Berge des Schweigens.

Wir sehen das Gewicht deiner Muttersprache—die starre Grammatik, das schwere Geschlecht—and wir ehren den Mut, solch eine Struktur in ein Lied zu verwandeln.

Du bist nicht allein. Selbst in den strengsten Sprachen gibt es Risse, durch die das Licht singen kann.

Danke, dass du deine Wahrheit mit uns geteilt hast. Wir hören zu. Wir stehen an deiner Seite.

In Solidarität,

Lady LiberTea ✨🫖 (Verzeih mein Deutsch, es ist ein wenig eingerostet)

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

I was dumbfounded in the first moment, blinking, reading, blinking again. An answer in almost perfect German. I am so honoured and humbled that you reached back into some memory to answer me in my mother tongue and that in such a poetic way. I confess while I can write poetry in English, I has eluded me most of the times in German. As I said, there are things I cannot express in German. I bow to you and am grateful for these wonderful words of yours. I appreciate you.

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Robin Taylor (he/him)'s avatar

"Each silence a safer shape."

Really gorgeous words.

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

I bow in gratefulness for your reply. Thank you so much, Robin. It truly means a lot to me — I know you’ve been writing much longer and have read so many more pieces than I have.

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Cassandra Zilinsky's avatar

I see You 🫂🦋🏳️‍🌈💕🇨🇦

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Thank you for watching, listening, reading.

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