Madalina Manda Horjan

05/05/2025

22/07/2024

An extraordinary poetry collection

19/07/2024

On two UK poets.

10/07/2024

When the day starts bad, walk through it and see what happens.

Pick up the good and bad moments and analise their balance.

Is it still a bad day?
If yes, walk further, think tomorrow will be different, will be good!

30/04/2024

29/04/2024

PLEASE NOTE THE EVENT MAY BEGIN A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE SCHEDULED START TIMEJoin Bloodaxe for this launch reading by Ellen Cranitch, Helen Farish and Brenda ...

23/04/2024

At some point in life, everybody is in the spotlight. Public speaking can be terrifying but also rewarding.

Into the Spotlight

Words in the mirror don’t tremble
My voice does not fight every syllable.
Lips go together like a song on the radio
I can hold my chin up, I can breathe
There is always a smooth journey
No fiddling legs, no shivering, no spasm

I take the courage to engage
Usually, I say I can do this
No matter how many pairs of eyes
Despite all the attention and expectation
I imagine myself in the mirror

My veins become rivers of pain, they strain
Muscles get sore, cold, and contract
Wet palms are the messenger of a quiet storm
Like pages of a book, flip through, eyelashes rustle
A bark crust covers my spine, I stutter
Clenching my teeth, I taste iron, saliva like sand
My heart changes into a rusty, old engine
Pounds with the sound of an earthquake
Spills sweat like warm oil, all over my forehead
I forget I can speak English, I swallow my tongue
I would like either to apologize or to ignore my instinct
To run fast as I can, to hide, to turn back time

by Madalina Manda Horjan



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