Art: Guilherme Bergamini
MOTHER RUSSIA
She keeps you shut inside her.
In her wooden womb, you grow
smaller, smaller. Your ears
are sealed beneath a babushka.
You sit woodenly through winter,
your cheeks wind-burnt red circles.
Your mouth, it never opens. Nyet
to speech. Nyet to borscht, shav,
blinis. Your tongue will never
taste the salt of black caviar
or even herring. Your aproned belly
is lathed round, but empty.
All is for oligarchs, tsars.
To peasants like you, Nyet, nyet.
About the author:
Rochelle Jewel Shapiro’s novel, Miriam the Medium (Simon & Schuster, 2004), was nominated for the Harold U. Ribelow Award. Her short story collection What I Wish You’d Told Me was published by Shebooks in 2014. She has published essays in NYT (Lives) and Newsweek. She teaches writing at UCLA Extension.
Art: Guilherme Bergamini
In the artist’s words:
Guilherme Bergamini is 39 years old and was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Graduated in journalism, has been working with photography for 22 years. Through this art, Bergamini intends to express his experiences, worldview and anxieties. Passionate about photography since childhood, Guilherme is an enthusiast and curious by new contemporary possibilitiesthat this technique allows. Persistent and critic, the art is thas photography as a way to political and social criticism. Awarded in national competitions and festivals, he took part in group and solo exhibitions in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Lithuania, Turkey, Venezuela, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, United States and India. Had his work published in several Brazilian and foreign press vehicles. He publishes part of his photographic journey on his website (www.guilhermebergamini.com).