Poetry

Conversation Group

A poem with a cast of leading ladies

Together, they translate the words of their American apartment manager who recommends films to borrow when the bookmobile comes. Yes, America contains more than violence: it also has room for My Fair Lady.

These Russian ladies practice English weekday mornings before lunch. They wear the large, dark rings of their mothers, set with gemstones that trap and keep light, subduing it like memories held in storage.

I wrote this poem many years ago when I used to lead English conversation tutoring sessions for community members who were just starting to study English at North Seattle College. A few of my regular students were women in their 50s and 60s, recent immigrants from Russia. One told me this story about My Fair Lady, a movie she loved much more than anything she found on TV.

P.S. Did you know that Marni Nixon dubbed Audrey Hepburn’s singing voice in My Fair Lady? Marni lived in Seattle and was much-loved here: I mention her in another post.