Frida Kahlo and I *
The
year 2001:
“Take
this, see how similar you are” said Tirza Aman. She half-threw, half-
placed
the book with the thin cover in the art therapy workshop in the Templer
structure that contained
the
crisis of Yona Wallach
in
February 1965.
The
year 2019:
We
both
have
fit testosterone that thickens and strengthens the existing hair to the maximum
DNA that the body allows our dense eyebrows to
become.
We
both have a lock of hair above the lip and limbs
that
maneuver the body’s core
with
great difficulty.
We
both make use of pain through our art while
at
the same time her painting served as a refuge
and
for me, writing.
Yet,
let’s not really labor to find another common denominator
it
could be
that
we both share a visual appearance
in
the mouth, nose, eyebrow, two in number – connected.
And
in the hair.
It
is true that we brought a photographer who does not like us
smiling
as my partner claimed.
We
both have distinguishing marks that we preserve
Well,
only she from the grave
and
me from the land that was created in Genesis.
Until
and as of now the gestures that
residents
of Oslo provided me regarding the similarity between the two of us
are
with me.
But,
with this I conclude.
She
is an icon, a museum, a role model
and
I am anonymous
who
lives in the attractive location of the Emek Refaim neighborhood – on the main
road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem
in
a two-room apartment
with
the judgement an amulet of meat and blood that will become
a
corpse, and with it my letters of discourse.
So
leave me alone, Frida
Tali Cohen Shabtai, is a poet, she was born in Jerusalem, Israel. She began writing poetry at the age of six, she had been an excellent student of literature. She began her writings by publishing her impressions in the school’s newspaper. First of all she published her poetry in a prestigious literary magazine of Israel ‘Moznayim’ when she was fifteen years old.
Tali has written three poetry books: Purple Diluted in a Black’s Thick, (bilingual 2007), Protest (bilingual 2012) and Nine Years From You (2018).
Tali’s poems expresses spiritual and physical exile. She is studying her exile and freedom paradox, her cosmopolitan vision is very obvious in her writings. She lived some years in Oslo Norway and in the U.S.A. She is very prominent as a poet with a special lyric, "she doesn’t give herself easily, but subject to her own rules".
Tali studied at the "David Yellin College of Education" for a bachelor's degree. She is a member of the Hebrew Writers Association and the Israeli Writers Association in the state of Israel.
In 2014, Cohen Shabtai also participated in a Norwegian documentary about poets' lives called "The Last Bohemian"- "Den Siste Bohemien",and screened in the cinema in Scandinavia.
By 2020, her fourth book of poetry will be published which will also be published in Norway. Her literary works have been translated into many languages as well.
Poetic Garland is a section of Literary Garland which is updated every week. For publishing your poem under this section please email us your work at literarygarland@gmail.com with the subject "Poetic garland", bio and photograph of the contributor is must.
