This
month, the third of May, is known as Constitution Day in Poland. Kendall has
been studying Poland for 35 years and has also visited that country. Lt. Janina
Lewandowska is believed to be the only woman killed by the Russians at the
Katyn Forest Massacre. His poems this month are dedicated to Poland and to
those lost in the Massacre. Also included are some of the letters he has
received from people in Poland.
ANNA’S SONG
For Anya
Have
you ever made love
In
the fields where the poppies grow
We
do not have those flowers
Here
on the coast
Once
Woody asked me how I got my knees wet
On
the fog-washed island
This
was before he married
And
I could not explain the tryst
With
my beautiful wife
Other
than to say
I
fell
I
fell through the earth
As
some writer, Hemingway, I think
Has
best put it
I
am sure it has happened
Millions
of times
In
your lovely Poland
Before
and after church
In
sunlight and light rain
Afterward
a ravenous appetite
Quenched
by a good meal
Of
some national dish
in
a small restaurant
Or
at grandmother’s house
Who
would cook up a storm
You
thought she had developed the recipe for you
Unable
to imagine
That
she had done it for your grandfather
To
thank him for the lovemaking
That
created you and your family
Kendall
Merriam, Home, November 15, 2007
12:26 PM
Listening
to the CD “The Best of Marvin Gaye”
BRILLIANT SKY, WATER
For Olivia
The cat, Charles, is on his back
Purring loudly
Even over the traffic passing by
Sometimes I think
This is Paradise
The poems that
God puts in my fingers
Charm or chastise
So rarely does a muse
Respond at all
Particularly not with the sensitive beauty
That came through yesterday
I know we cannot
Love one another, that is forbidden
But we can be writing partners
Putting down words
That will help the seven billion
Recognize Janina
A worthy goal, a lifetime duty
My mind is slipping a little
I forget things
But the poetry seeps out
And the pastries I bake
Still taste good
But I am worried
That I won’t finish
My Polish work
Leaving the burden on your shoulders
When I die I will leave my soul to you
Hoping it will help you find Janina
Kendall Merriam, at my brother Gilleys 5/30/13 11:25 AM
Listening to Charles and the traffic on Rte 73
EDITOR IN CHIEF
For
Christine
It
must be a difficult job
Finding
the words
The
pictures, the ads
Putting
up with errant poets
Who
question the church
Which
so many
Of
your readers cling to
Most
of what I write
Is
for children
Though
I have none of my own
I
carry on a campaign
Against
the President, the generals
While
you promote Polish life
Here
and there
Do
you get there some times
Or
are you tied to your desk
Unable
to hear the Heynal
Sip
wine in Torun
Visit
Janina’s grave in Lusowo
I
want to do these things
Even
though I have
No
Polish blood
It
must be hard to carry on
Without
your father’s input
But
you are facing a world
That
is better for Poland
Than
it was a mere
Thirty
years past
You
do it graciously, with honor
Thank
you for letting me subscribe
So
both of us can live for Poland
Kendall
Merriam, Home, 2/4/13 11:52
PM
Listening
to Anna Maria Gopal
HYMN TO LUSOWO
For the Founders and Staff
Such a lovely group
Of fine people
All dedicated to Poland
Through history and poetry
A combination
That brings the truth
The literature of war
Cannot be studied
By literature alone
The history of Janina
The history of building
The history of love
For a rebuilt nation
Not only souls
But hearts and minds
Here around the table
In Lusowo we hear
The voices of Katyn…..rest of line lost
LANDING
AFTER SIXTY-FIVE YEARS
In
Memory of JaninaLewandowska
Did
you realize how many years
You
would be airborne?
Is
there some way you could
Have
parachuted down?
Were
you with God?
Or singing hymns to the world
Only
a few heard
And
did not understand
Their
origin?
There
is an American word
Closure
Which
I do not like
And
think that now is only the beginning
Of
how young Poles
Will
emulate you
Other thinking people
Around
the globe will pause
When
they hear the story of your flight
And
say a prayer of thanks
That
you existed
That
you were satisfied
To
fly so long, so high
An
example
To
the lovers of freedom
To
the pilots of souls
Who
never found a burial ground
You
were chosen
To
lead the squadron of the trustworthy
Maybe
your image
Will
finally parade through London
Accepting
Polish honors
British
leaders
Did
not give
Still
have not given
And
Russia
What
of Russia?
What
the assassins do not realize
Is
a bullet
Does
not kill the spirit
Only
mere material
You
and your compatriots
Exist
in the minds
Of
family, friends
And
the Gods of history
So
we your admirers
Are
finally overjoyed
You
dwell among us again
We
can make pilgrimages
Carefully
place flowers
From
across the world
To
honor you
Aloft
longer than any other flyer
Is
this your purpose?
I
would rather see you alive
But
now you are safe
In
your hometown, Lusowo
A
safe landing
Kendall Merriam, 28 December 2005, 3:58 PM
Listening to the CD “sand and water” by Beth Nielsen
Chapman
LETTER FROM GISELA GAWRONSKI
Cape Elizabeth (Maine) 1/13/2006
Dear Mr. Merriam!
Thank you very much for sharing the news about the Burial
Ceremony of the first Polish pilot JaninaLewandowska in Lusowo, Poland. It took
65 years and only after the communist’s system collapsed that the crimes of
Katyn had a full chance to be properly evaluated. Thank’s to honest, devoted
few—artifacts were saved and now we are lucky to witness that justice was done!
We remember a long period after the II wor[l]d War in which Katyn was not free
and easy to discuss, newspapers and many historians reporters were not
interested to disturb the comfortable existing myth of USRR being a humane best
system of governing. Only few very brave were crying for truth—many being
threaten[ed]!
You have been the one who was not silent!—and at that
time a young man of a small American Town in Maine of no Polish derivation
asking me and others many questions on the subject of mass murder by bullet
caliber 7.65. You were determined to search, investigate and deprive yourself a
literary career by “wasting” countless hours and money on thankless project!All
humane feelings gathered in your inexorable soul—made your poet’s will work!
You created poems---and the final sad but dignified moments of burial ceremony
of Janina L. you have enthroned with the last verses:
Landing after
Sixty-Five Years
Here you have given the final, golden honorary tribute!
–and for that Poles are thankful to you!
In this moment I am thinking-my father survived
concentration camp sufferings in Stutthof but was shortly after killed by
Russians..
My Godfather a Polish policeman shot by Germans, my
uncles vanished without trace. Friends too!
Evil is evil—no relativism will
work—truth has to be searched out!
I wish to thank your wonderful wife Phyllis for so many
years—standing, helping!
Fondly
GizelaGawronski
LETTER FROM WARSAW
For Mrs. GizelaGawronski
Here I am breakfasting
On wonderful Polish ham and eggs
While Phyllis and Marta
Are still sleeping
Yesterday we met an 89 year old man
One of the last
Of the Rising still alive
He modestly says
He was not a soldier
Just a printer
Running a big press upstairs
For the Germans
Later in the cellar
Printing posters for the Poles
He is charmed by Phyllis
A mutual feeling
She wanted to kiss him
On the cheek
To touch the suffering history
Of Warsaw
A city which went from
1,300,000 souls
To 1,000 souls
From 1939 to 1945
The pain of the desecration
Of men, women and children
Cannot be fathomed
So we love those who survived
Kendall Merriam in the restaurant of the Ibis hotel,
Warsaw 8:25 AM
Listening to dining sounds
Friday, February 22, 2008 12:14 PM
Subject: Katyn
After
Kendall’s trip to Poland and his return home, he received this email from a
Polish friend he made while he was there. Kendall says a friend who knows the
English government said these records are under the control of the Ministry of
Defense Archives/Whitehall/London/W1. He appeals to all of you to help open up
these vital records. Remember while you are reading that this is a Polish
person writing in English, a foreign language to him.
Dear Kenny, I just completed reading
all your works and hurry to share with you my
Impressions.
Undoubtedly you deserve most sincere
gratitude and acknowledgement for the interest and compassion you have for the
victims of Katyn in particular for the only women-heroine, Janina. It is
certainly uncommon to find a non-Pole being so deeply emotionally involved in
matters so distant and foreign to him and to take upon himself an enormous task
of finding the sources, contacts, overcome immense difficulties in language and
many more. I salute and praise you. And I appreciate very much your kindness in
sending me your works and the book on Katyn. Personally I have had no
opportunity, or chance to learn more about Katyn, except the common facts and
data’s.
My life was someway delimitated since
year 1941, when I was arrested by the Gestapo for involvement in the
underground activities and as a 15 year old boy incarcerated in Auschwitz. In
1943 I was transferred to another concentration camp in Neuengamme, which in
April of 1945 was evacuated to Lubbock. There about 7 thousand of polish
prisoners were put on two German ships Cap Arcona and Thielbeck and anchored 5
km of shore. On the 3rd of May British RAF planes attacked and sunk both ships
which resulted in death of about 7 thousand of Poles.
This, the largest sea catastrophe in
history is practically unknown to the world, mainly because of moratorium of
first of 50, then of 100 years on all materials re. Cap Arcona and Thielbeck.
All attempts to throw some light on this scandalous and compromising piece of
history were left unanswered. So much for the history.
Frankly I have no desire to go back to
these times and happenings, right now I am concentrated on my domestic
situation, my wife being seriously ill and myself having severe health
problems. At 82 my chief desire is to enjoy the remaining years(?) in peace,
far from all horrifying and painful experiences, and drama of wars and human
cruelty. I will retain the book on Katyn however with many thanks and words of
friendship. I also submit a cheque for 60 can dollars, which hopefully will
cover the expenses. So long, and good luck in your endeavours, and thanks
again, Witold. (In handwriting) P. S.
Best regards to your kind wife and you. Feb. 22. 2008.Witold
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