Why I No Longer Write Poems

Diana Anphimiadi is a poet, publicist, linguist and teacher. She has published four collections of poetry in Georgian: Shokoladi (Chocolate, 2008), Konspecturi Mitologia (Resumé of Mythology, 2009), Alhlokhedvis Traektoria (Trajectory of the Short-Sighted, 2012) and Chrdilis Amoch'ra (Cutting the Shadow, 2015). Her poetry has received prestigious awards, including first prize in the 2008 Tsero (Crane Award) and the Saba Prize for the best first collection in 2009. Her chapbook, Beginning to Speak, was published in 2018 by the Poetry Translation Centre, and Why I No Longer Write Poems, the first full-length Georgian-English selection of her poetry, is published by Bloodaxe Books with the Poetry Translation Centre in 2022, both titles translated by Natalia Bukia-Peters and Jean Sprackland. She lives in Tblisi with her son.

• IntroductionSleeping BeautyPoet in the ShowerPrayer Before BathingIphigeniaHelen of TroyEurydicePersephoneMedusaCassiopeia (Three Back to Front Songs)Dance Lessons (3/4 Time)StudiesLessonSilent WritingPompeiiSoulAutism: Beginning to SpeakMuteBrailleBecausePrayer Before Taking NourishmentRetrospectiveWhy I No Longer Write PoemsWinterLossDogsBondGardening for Beginners The Snake in the YardCentauretcLostUpside-DownImmune DeficiencyThe Trajectory of the Short-SightedSurrogateThe ChoiceTears in the GlassEveningChildrenThe Forest Near the WindowExchange of PrisonersEntertainmentOrchestraReaping SongJulyFair CopyEndangeredThe Second ComingAbout the Authors